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The effectiveness of airbags in Australia as determined by in-depth crash injury research
Technical Paper
2001-06-0076
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
This study presents some results from a case-control study of
crashed vehicles equipped with Australian airbag technology
(Supplementary Restraint Systems). Vehicles were inspected and
occupants interviewed according to the National Accident Sampling
System (NASS). Data were available for 383 belted drivers involved
in frontal crashes including 253 drivers in airbag-equipped
vehicles and 130 drivers in non-airbag vehicles. The analysis
revealed reductions in the numbers of injuries to the head, face,
chest and neck in the airbag-equipped vehicles although the numbers
of upper extremity injuries increased. At higher injury severities
(AIS2+) reductions were also observed in injuries to the head,
face, neck and chest. Further analysis using Harm as an outcome
measure found that the mean Harm per driver (in terms of $AUD) were
60% greater in the non-airbag vehicles compared with the
airbag-equipped vehicles. Thus airbags in Australia would appear to
offer a significant saving in terms of costs to society.
In general, the main conclusion from the study was that the
results offer a strong indication that the Australian Design Rule
(ADR) 69 requirement has been successful at addressing some of the
outstanding issues that remain for injury prevention for drivers
involved in frontal impacts.