Data from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) show that the ejection rate among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants has remained about 20% since the early 1980's. While belt use among fatally injured occupants increased from 2.7% in 1982 to 35.2% in 1996, there has only been a slight decline in the rate of ejection (23% in 1982 to about 22% in 1996). In addition, the overall rate of total ejection in fatal crashes was 2.4% for belted occupants in FARS and 29.3% for unbelted occupants in FARS during the same time period. This study focused on unbelted occupants in FARS to identify factors associated with the rate of ejection. The study found that rollover, speed of the vehicle prior to the crash, the age of the driver, and whether or not the unbelted occupant was a passenger of a light truck to be associated with the prevalence of ejection. Based upon the analysis, the increase in the prevalence of ejection among unbelted occupants in fatal crashes from 1982 to 1996 can be explained by the increased severity of crashes, as evidence by the increase in rollover rate and speed, together with an increase in the proportion of light trucks in those crashes. Younger drivers were found to be more likely to be involved in ejection crashes. In spite of the increase in the average age of fatally injured persons, the average driver age in rollover and ejection crashes has not substantially increased during the period 1982 - 1996. These findings lead to the conclusion that unbelted drivers are those most likely to engage in risky driving behaviour associated with more severe crashes and higher probability of ejection. (A)
Samenvatting