SAFETY CHANGES IN THE US VEHICLE FLEET BY VEHICLE MODEL YEAR

摘要

NASS/CDS 1995-2009 was the basis for evaluating safety changes in the vehicle fleet with model year. The analysis shows that the mean AIS 3+ HARM for belted drivers in 1996-2009 model year vehicles had decreased injuries in side and frontal crashes. Head injuries were the most reduced body region in frontal crashes, decreased by 40%; however, there was an increase in lower extremity injuries. Chest injuries were most reduced in side crashes, decreased by 25%. For rollovers, reduction in injuries for all body regions were observed in 2000 to 2009 model years compared to models up to five years earlier. For the most recent model years, a larger fraction of the AIS 3+ HARM occurred in severe rollover (more than 7 quarter-turns).