Canadian Underwriter
News

Strong side structures, not side airbags, best mitigate driver fatality in side crashes: IIHS


January 19, 2011   by Canadian Underwriter


Print this page Share

Side airbags play a crucial role in reducing driver fatalities in side impacts, but they are far from the whole story in side crash protection, reported the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Researchers at IIHS correlated side impact test results with federal crash data. Only crashes involving institute-rated vehicles with standard side airbags to protect both the head and torso were included in the analysis.

During the crash test, a vehicle was hit on the driver side by a deformable barrier weighing 3,300 pounds and travelling at 31 mph. The barrier’s height and shape were designed like the front of a typical SUV or pickup. “By limiting the study to vehicles with side airbags, the researchers were able to bring other factors such as structure into sharper focus,” an IIHS release says.

Researchers found that while side airbags are crucial, a vehicle’s structure rating was by far the best predictor of fatality risk.

After controlling for driver age, gender and vehicle type and weight, a driver of a vehicle rated ‘good’ for driver protection is 70% less likely to die in a left-side impact crash compared with a driver of a vehicle rated ‘poor,’ reported the IIHS.

A driver of a vehicle rated ‘acceptable’ is 64% less likely to die. A driver of a vehicle rated marginal is 49% less likely to die, the IIHS found.

“We knew that our ratings would encourage manufacturers to add head-protecting side airbags, which would save lives,” David Zuby, IIHS’s chief research officer. “It’s great to see that other aspects of our evaluation, such as encouraging strong side structures, resulted in so much additional protection.”


Print this page Share

Have your say:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*