There has been much concern about the effect that bull bars, also known as crash bars, might have on road users, particularly pedestrians, in road accidents. Impact testing has demonstrated that vehicles equipped with bull bars are more likely to cause injuries to pedestrians. This study makes use of data on real world `bull bar' accidents, analysing them by using the published literature to make informed assessments of them. A recent police survey recorded accidents involving bull bar equipped vehicles. Copies of police files have been obtained for many of these accidents. This report contains a review of the literature on bull bars. The report provides a breakdown of the recorded bull bar accidents, and of those for which copies of the accident reports have been requested and received from the police, by type and severity. The police reporting rate is analysed and substantial under-reporting and mis-reporting found. Estimates are made for Great Britain of the probable numbers of pedestrian and two-wheeler rider casualties in accidents involving bull bar equipped vehicles, and of the number of additional pedestrian and two-wheeler rider casualties and injuries as a result of vehicles being equipped with bull bars. (A)
Abstract