Using data from Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) and Florida, Maryland, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, four "ABS-relevant" crash types were identified as follows: (1) rollovers, (2) side impacts with parked vehicles or fixed objects, (3) frontal impacts with parked vehicles or fixed objects and (4) frontal impacts with another motor vehicle in transport. These crash types represented situations in which it was felt that ABS would be beneficial. The passenger car experiences in these four crash types were compared to a control group of crashes that are not expected to be affected by the presence of ABS. Detailed findings are provided for the four individual crash types, and on favourable versus unfavourable road surfaces. The following findings were noted: a) a significant reduction in non-fatal frontal impacts with another motor vehicle in transport crashes was associated with the presence of ABS; b) significant increases in non-fatal impacts with parked vehicles or fixed objects and in non-fatal side impacts with parked vehicles or fixed objects were associated with the presence of ABS; and c) significant increases in fatal rollover crashes and in fatal side impacts with parked vehicles or fixed objects were associated with the presence of ABS.
Abstract