Assessing the applicability of impact speed injury risk curves based on US data to defining safe speeds in the US and Sweden
Journal article, 2023

Vision Zero is an approach to road safety that aims to eliminate all traffic-induced fatalities and lifelong injuries. To reach this goal, a multi-faceted safe system approach must be implemented to anticipate and minimize the risk associated with human mistakes. One aspect of a safe system is choosing speed limits that keep occupants within human biomechanical limits in a crash scenario. The objective of this study was to relate impact speed and maximum delta-v to risk of passenger vehicle (passenger cars and light trucks and vans) occupants sustaining a moderate to fatal injury (MAIS2+F) in three crash modes: head-on vehicle-vehicle, frontal vehicle–barrier, and front-to-side vehicle-vehicle crashes. Data was extracted from the Crash Investigation Sampling System, and logistic regression was used to construct the injury prediction models. Impact speed was a statistically significant predictor in head-on crashes, but was not a statistically significant predictor in vehicle-barrier or front–to–side crashes. Maximum delta-v was a statistically significant predictor in all three crash modes. A head-on impact speed of 62 km/h yielded 50% (±27%) risk of moderate to fatal injury for occupants at least 65 years old. A head-on impact speed of 82 km/h yielded 50% (±31%) risk of moderate to fatal injury for occupants younger than 65 years. Compared to the impact speeds, the maximum delta-v values yielding the same level of risk were lower within the head-on crash population. A head-on delta-v of 40 km/h yielded 50% (±21%) risk of moderate to fatal injury for occupants at least 65 years old. A head-on delta-v of 65 km/h yielded 50% (±33%) risk of moderate to fatal injury for occupants younger than 65 years. A maximum delta–v value of approximately 30 km/h yielded 50% (±42%) risk of MAIS2+F injury for passenger car occupants in vehicle-vehicle front-to-side crashes. A maximum delta–v value of approximately 44 km/h yielded 50% (±24%) risk of MAIS2+F injury for light truck and van occupants, respectively, in vehicle-vehicle front-to-side crashes.

Impact speed

Safe system

Vision zero

Injury risk function

Event data recorder

Author

Morgan E. Dean

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Nils Lübbe

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Vehicle Safety

Rikard Fredriksson

Swedish Transport Administration

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Vehicle Safety

Simon Sternlund

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Vehicle Engineering and Autonomous Systems

H. C. Gabler

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Accident Analysis and Prevention

0001-4575 (ISSN)

Vol. 190 107151

Areas of Advance

Transport

Health Engineering

Subject Categories

Infrastructure Engineering

Vehicle Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.aap.2023.107151

More information

Latest update

7/11/2023