This report presents an extensive review by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) of the part that car design can play in reducing the number of casualties in car crashes, and identifies a range of measures that require legislative action. It first gives some graphs and charts of fatal road accidents, and discusses the role of vehicle safety in reducing casualties, and European car safety standards. The major influence on car design are legislation, market forces, and product liability. Priorities in car design for accident avoidance include: speed control, vision and conspicuity, and anti-lock bracking systems. Crash protection aims to minimise crash forces, and distribute them so that they impact on the strongest parts of the body as far as possible. Impact types and injury patterns are outlined, and 17 priorities in car design for injury reduction are identified. Five accident avoidance measures are recommended, concerning: (1) speed control; (2) daytime running lights; (3) anti-lock braking systems; (4) high level mounted brake lights; and (5) European accident studies. Nine recommendations are made on car design to reduce injuries, including increased usage of seat belts and measures to protect against frontal and side impacts.
Abstract