This paper outlines possibilities for improvements to vehicle design that would reduce the occurrence of collision and the severity of injuries from accidents on the roads. It highlights vehicle safety measures which are believed to hold the greatest benefit at the current time. These proposals for the way forward relate to conditions in the United Kingdom and to a lesser extent in the European Union. The views given are those of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) rather than those of the individual members of its Vehicle Design Working Party who initiated and contributed to the study on which this paper is based. For the purposes of this paper, the various measures are only described in outline, but references to further information on specific issues are available separately on request from PACTS. (A)
Abstract