Why the Issue Is Loss Reduction Rather than Only Crash Prevention

There is no reason why highway loss reduction countermeasure priorities must parallel the rank of causes. Traditional emphasis only on crash prevention ignores major opportunities for reducing losses to damaged people and property. A standard method is needed for rating vehicles' occupant protection considering limits set by physics and body force tolerances. The use of structural damage for crash energy absorption, particularly at 5 to 20 m.p.h., is archaic in comparison with aircraft strut design. It is predicted that the present, structural-damage approach to low speed energy absorption will soon become publicly unacceptable.