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Paper Title:
Airbag Effectiveness
in Real World Crashes
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Authors:
Jo Barnes, Andrew Morris,
Brian Fildes, Stuart Newstead
Abstract:
This paper presents results
from a case controlled sample of 383 belted drivers and 129 belted
front seat passengers involved in frontal crashes. Of the drivers
253 vehicles were involved in crashes where the airbag deployed
and 130 vehicles were non-airbag equipped. For the front seat passengers,
28 vehicles were also equipped with passenger airbags, with 25 deployed
in crashes. The two groups were matched in terms of crash severity.
Vehicles were inspected and occupants interviewed according to the
National Accident Sampling System (NASS). Analysis of the data identified
an overall reduction in the number of injuries sustained by drivers
in the airbag-equipped vehicles for all frontal crashes. At the
more serious injury levels (AIS 2+), reductions were noted to the
head, face neck and chest in drivers in airbag equipped vehicles.
Cost analysis using Harm as an outcome measure found that the mean
Harm per driver ($AUD) was 60% higher in non-airbag equipped vehicles
compared with airbag equipped vehicles. It would appear from these
findings that airbags in frontal crashes are contributing to the
reduction in driver injuries and also cost to society.
Airbags in Australia act as supplementary restraint systems and
were introduced to prevent head strikes to the steering wheel by
belted drivers. However these findings suggest that airbags also
seem to have a positive affect on protecting the chest and neck
from injury. This study is the most extensive study of airbag performance
in Australia to date.
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