This scientific poster presents a study that was conducted to determine the specific driver behaviours and unsafe driving acts that cause crashes, and the situational, driver and vehicle characteristics associated with these behaviours. A sample of 723 crashes involving 1284 drivers was investigated during the period from April, 1, 1996 through April, 30, 1997. While the sample was reasonably representative of serious crashes involving passenger cars that occurred in the United States during that time period, the 723 crashes were not nationally representative. The reason is that they were selected from only 4 of 24 National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) files. In 717 of the 723 crashes investigated (99%), a driver behavioural error caused or contributed to the crash. Of the 1284 drivers involved in the crashes, 732 drivers (57%) contributed in some way to the cause of their crashes. The study confirms other research showing that driver inattention, driver impairment, unsafe vehicle speeds, and driver fatigue are important factors in serious crashes. It provides further insight into driver information failures and unsafe driving acts that cause crashes under certain specified conditions.
Abstract