Developments in Car Safety with Respect to Disability - Injury Distributions for Car Occupants in Cars from the 80’s and 90’s

The aim was to study the influence of new car design on the distribution and disability risk of injuries to different body regions. The cars were categorised in 5-year periods according to year of introduction. The injuries of 11,535 injured car occupants, as well as 42,228 two-car crashes reported by the police between 1994 and 2000, were used. Comparing car models introduced in 1980-84 with models introduced in 1995-99 it was found that the proportion of severe injuries (AIS3+) had decreased by 80%. Furthermore, the relative risk of permanent disability and fatality had decreased by 29 %. The disability risk from AIS2+ injuries had decreased by 76%, while an increase of 18% was found for AIS1. Reductions between 70% and 90% were found for injuries to most body regions, except for neck injuries where there was a 14% increase. The results highlight the need for better injury classification systems, which also take disability risks into account when designing future cars and roads, and that disability risk from AIS1 injuries should be reflected in legislative and consumer crash tests. Such designs and tests should focus on both permanent disability and fatality.