This report examines relative vehicle crashworthiness and aggressivity of the Australian light passenger vehicle fleet in the four major crash types in which they are involved. These are single vehicle crashes, crashes with unprotected road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists, crashes with heavy vehicles and crashes with other light passenger vehicles. Analysis focuses on 1982-2000 model vehicles classified into 8 broad market groups. The ratings used were based on data on crashes in Victoria and New South Wales during 1987-2000 and in Queensland and Western Australia during 1991-2000. Results of the research have been able to identify the vehicle market groups that have relatively good and bad secondary safety performance in each crash type considered. Results have shown clear differential relative performance between market groups across the major crash types considered. They have also been able to quantify the relative risk of serious injury or death between crash types, further highlighting the high serious injury risk to unprotected road users in particular, as well as to light vehicle drivers in both single vehicle crashes and in crashes with articulated heavy vehicles. (Author/publisher)
Abstract