Passenger vehicle occupant injury severity by vehicle age and model year in fatal crashes.

This study is a descriptive assessment of the relationship between a vehicle’s age and model year to its occupant’s injury severity in a fatal crash, using the most recent data from NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2012–2016. The analysis shows that among all passenger vehicle (passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks or vans) occupants involved in a fatal crash, the proportion who were fatally injured increases with vehicle age, i.e., the proportion was higher among occupants of older vehicles as compared to the occupants of newer vehicles. Also, the proportion of occupants who were fatally injured was higher among occupants of older model year vehicles as compared to the occupants of newer model year vehicles. (Author/publisher)