THE HIGHWAY LOSS DATA INSTITUTE (HLDI) COMPLIES INJURY AND COLLISION CLAIM INFORMATION FROM MAJOR INSURANCE COMPANIES. THESE DATA HAVE INDICATED THAT A DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE NUMBER OF INJURY CLAIMS ARE MADE FOR SMALL CARS. AS A RESULT IT MIGHT BE CONCLUDED THAT SMALL CARS INCREASE INJURY RISK TO THEIR OCCUPANTS. RECENT ADVERTISEMENTS BY A MAJOR AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER SUGGEST A SIMILAR CONCLUSION SHOULD BE DRAWN FROM THESE DATA. IN THIS PAPER IT IS SHOWN THAT THE APPARENT HIGHER INJURY RISK ATTRIBUTED TO SMALL CARS CAN REFLECT THE BEHAVIOUR OF PERSONS DRIVING SMALL CARS. THE NUMBER OF INJURY CLAIM ACCIDENTS PER COLLISION CLAIM ACCIDENT IS EXAMINED AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEASURE OF INJURY RISK. POSSIBLE PROBLEMS IN INTERPRETATION ARE DISCUSSED.(Author/publisher).
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