There is an increasing trend in the use of light goods vehicles (LGVs) instead of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to transport goods for local deliveries. In this study, it was decided to compare the type and severity of real life collisions between cars and HGVs, and cars and LGVs. The impact severity with respect to the car occupants is looked at. To this aim, the Co-operative Crash Injury Study (CCIS) was used to study impacts of the types mentioned. It was decided to compare car frontal impacts with a principle direction of force of between 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock due to the frequency of this accident type. 198 car versus HGV and 148 car versus LGV accidents were studied involving 456 front seat car occupants. Only front seat occupants wearing a seat belt were included in the analysis. The collisions were analysed to gather information on impact type, impact severity, and occupants were studied to consider injury types and causation of these injuries. (A)
Samenvatting