While the fatality rate on U.S. highways has steadily declined over the last several years, the number of fatalities has remained relatively constant. The nation, as a whole, lost 41,059 lives in 2007 to traffic crashes. In fact, in 2005, motor vehicle traffic crashes were the leading cause of death for every age from 3 through 6 and 8 through 34. The traffic safety community has made great strides in the crashworthiness of vehicles — the ability of vehicles to protect their occupants during a crash. To substantially reduce the high number of traffic fatalities and injuries, more needs to be done in primary prevention (i.e., finding ways to prevent crashes by understanding the events leading up to a crash.) The automotive industry has already applied significant resources into the research and development of crash avoidance features in vehicles. Many of the new features (ESC, traction control, lane-departure warning systems, etc.) are starting to appear in the fleet of newer model vehicles. NHTSA and other safety researchers are currently evaluating the effectiveness of these new technologies. Available databases, such as the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) do not provide information that can specifically serve the purpose of identifying pre-crash scenarios and the reason underlying the critical pre-crash events -- information critical to the evaluation and development of emerging crash avoidance technologies. Additional data are needed to identify factors associated with crash causation. With this objective, in 2005 NHTSA was authorized under Section 2003(c) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to conduct a national survey to collect on-scene data pertaining to events and associated factors related to a crash. NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) has conducted the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey of crashes with focus on the factors related to pre-crash events involving light passenger vehicles. A sound methodology, which has been reviewed by a panel of experts, was used for this purpose. One of the objectives of NMVCCS is to build a national database containing detailed information on factors and events leading up to a crash. This report presents information from a sample of 5,471 crashes investigated during a two-and-a half-year period from July 3, 2005, to December 31, 2007. Descriptions of the survey methodology as well as case studies have been provided to illustrate the nature of the information collected by NMVCCS researchers. The primary focus of NMVCCS researchers was to determine the critical pre-crash events and the reasons underlying the critical event through a thorough assessment of all possible contributing factors related to the drivers, vehicles, roadways, and the environment. This report presents estimates of some of these crash elements based on the data analyzed compiled as of April 30, 2008. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting