The objectives of this study are: (1) to examine and compare the results from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208 and the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) tests; (2) to assess the effects of both tests on vehicle safety; (3) to examine manufacturers' response to NCAP and the public awareness of vehicle safety; and (4) to apply data from the crash programmes to evaluate safety differences between vehicle weight classes. Some results are: (i) Head Injury Criterion (HIC) values on the average are much greater in the NCAP tests than in the FMVSS No. 208 tests due to compartment intrusion and restraint system performance in the higher severity crashes; (ii) Both tests appear to have a very positive impact on the vehicle manufacturers' approach to passenger car safety; (iii) The vehicle manufacturers seem very aware of the consumer interest in occupant protection. This is reflected by the expansion by the manufacturers' advertisements into car safety; and (iv) For all passenger cars which have been tested in NCAP and FMVSS No. 208, the restrained occupants are at greater risk of injury in the lighter vehicles.
Abstract