The risk of injury and vehicle damage in vehicle mismatched crashes

摘要

Despite the many safety improvements to new passenger vehicles, there is growing concern regarding an increased risk of injury to vehicle drivers and occupants during a collision between vehicles of differing size and mass. Among the many factors influencing the pattern of injuries in motor vehicle crashes, has been the popularity and high representation of sport utility vehicles (SUV's) and pick-up trucks (PU) in the BC vehicle fleet (Hildebrand et al. 2000). Between 1990 and 2001, PU ownership increased by 47% while passenger sedan (both four- and two-door) ownership increased by 36% (Vehicle Fleet data 2002). It is estimated that PU accounted for approximately 28.4% (or 636,631 vehicles) of the 2001 BC vehicle fleet (Vehicle Fleet data 2002). To environmental and safety advocates, the shift in auto ownership from passenger cars (PS) to SUV's and pick up trucks is a worrisome development. Broyles et al. found in PU-PS collisions, that PS sustain significantly greater vehicular damage (Broyles et al. 2001). Evidence indicates that when vehicles of similar mass and size crash into each other, driver/occupant fatality and injury risk is lower for two heavier vehicles crashing than for two lighter cars crashing (Gable et al. 2000).