 Causal influence of car mass and size on driver fatality riskL. Evans American Journal of Public Health, 2001, vol. 91, issue 7, 1076-1081 Abstract: Objectives. This study estimated how adding mass, in the form of a passenger, to a car crashing head-on into another car affects fatality risks to both drivers. The study distinguished the causal roles of mass and size. Methods. Head-on crashes between 2 cars, one with a right-front passenger and the other with only a driver, were examined with Fatality Analysis Reporting System data. Results. Adding a passenger to a car led to a 14.5% reduction in driver risk ratio (risk to one driver divided by risk to the other). To divide this effect between the individual drivers, the author developed equations that express each driver's risk as a function of causal contributions from the mass and size of both involved cars. Adding a passenger reduced a driver's frontal crash fatality risk by 7.5% but increased the risk to the other driver by 8.1%. Conclusions. The presence of a passenger reduces a driver's frontal crash fatality risk but increases the risk to the driver of the other car. The findings are applicable to some single-car crashes, in which the driver risk decrease is not offset by any increase in harm to others. When all cars carry the same additional cargo, total population risk is reduced. Date: 2001 There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it. Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2001:91:7:1076-1081_2 Access Statistics for this article American Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Alfredo Morabia More articles in American Journal of Public Health from American Public Health Association |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.