Traffic injury prevention
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Traffic injury prevention · Aug 2011
Census study of fatal car-to-car intersection crashes in Sweden involving modern vehicles.
Intersections are challenging for many road users. According to US, European, and global statistics, intersection-related crashes with fatal outcome represent approximately 20 percent of all traffic fatalities. The aim of this study was to use Swedish data to investigate and characterize fatal car-to-car intersection crashes for modern cars equipped with frontal and side air bags. ⋯ All modern car-to-car crashes with a fatal outcome occurring at Swedish intersections from 2003 to 2009 were side impacts. The crashes were characterized by a senior front seat driver, traveling with a front seat passenger, hit on the left side at approximately 70 km/h. In this study all fatal crashes occurred at severities beyond those currently evaluated in side impact rating procedures but were within survivable limits for a non-senior occupant in a majority of cases.