Draw a "Star" by five features that are most important to you in regard to safety.
Draw a "X" by the features that are least important to you in regard to safety.
For each feature listed in the data table, use the "Effect on Safety" column to explain how you think the feature will make the vehicle more or less safe. If you don't think it has any effect, explain why.
Which vehicle do you think is safer--1 or 2? Explain what data convinces you that this vehicle is safer than the other. Write this on the back of the document.
According to the National Safety Council, the leading cause of accidental death in the United States is motor vehicle accidents. In 2003 (the most recent year for which complete records are available), there were more than 44,800 deaths involving motor vehicles. Falls are the next most frequent kind of fatal accident, claiming 16,200 lives in 2003.
Here are some other statistics from the Council’s 2005–06 publication, using 2004 data: •Over 46,000 people were killed in motor-vehicle accidents in the United States. Men are killed twice as frequently as women. •A death involving a motor vehicle occurs every 11 minutes; a disabling injury occurs every 13 seconds. • Alcohol is involved in about 40% of all traffic fatalities (either an intoxicated driver or nonmotorist). In the fatal accidents, 69% of those killed were intoxicated. The other 31% were nonintoxicated passengers, drivers, or nonmotorists. •Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 1–44. •The age groups most affected by motor vehicle crashes are 15–24 and over 75. Ages 15–24 have a higher death rate and number of deaths than any other age group. Those aged 75 and over have fewer overall deaths, but a high rate of death per population. •There were an estimated 5,900 pedestrian deaths and 70,000 pedestrian injuries. •About 900 bicyclists died in collisions with motor vehicles.
Crash-Test Rating Systems Crash tests have been used to determine the likelihood of injuries that can occur in automobile collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) developed a five-star rating system to help consumers interpret crash-test results when comparing cars. For front-end crashes, star ratings are determined by a car’s score on three criteria: head injury, chest deceleration, and femur load. The ratings for frontal crashes are summarized below:
5 Stars- 10% or lower chance of serious injury
4 Stars- 11-20% chance of serious injury.
3 Stars- 21-35% chance of serious injury.
2 Stars- 36-45% chance of serious injury.
1 Star- 46% or greater chance of serious injury.
Some NHTSA crash-test ratings can be compared across vehicle classes and weights. For example, side-crash test results can be compared across all classes because the test is set up so that a particular moving barrier hits all vehicles with the same force. Rollover ratings can also be compared across all classes. Front-end-collision test results, however, can only be compared among vehicles in the same class and among those weighing within 250 lbs of each other. Adding to NHTSA information, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates cars on the results of rear-end-crash tests. Instead of a five-star system, the IIHS, uses a four-level, color-coded system: Good (green) Acceptable (yellow) Marginal (orange) Poor (red)
According to the National Safety Council, the leading cause of accidental death in the United States is motor vehicle accidents. In 2003 (the most recent year for which complete records are available), there were more than 44,800 deaths involving motor vehicles. Falls are the next most frequent kind of fatal accident, claiming 16,200 lives in 2003.
Here are some other statistics from the Council’s 2005–06 publication, using 2004 data:
•Over 46,000 people were killed in motor-vehicle accidents in the United States. Men are killed twice as frequently as women.
•A death involving a motor vehicle occurs every 11 minutes; a disabling injury occurs every 13 seconds.
• Alcohol is involved in about 40% of all traffic fatalities (either an intoxicated driver or nonmotorist). In the fatal accidents, 69% of those killed were intoxicated. The other 31% were nonintoxicated passengers, drivers, or nonmotorists.
•Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 1–44.
•The age groups most affected by motor vehicle crashes are 15–24 and over 75. Ages 15–24 have a higher death rate and number of deaths than any other age group. Those aged 75 and over have fewer overall deaths, but a high rate of death per population.
•There were an estimated 5,900 pedestrian deaths and 70,000 pedestrian injuries.
•About 900 bicyclists died in collisions with motor vehicles.
Crash-Test Rating Systems
Crash tests have been used to determine the likelihood of injuries that can occur in automobile collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) developed a five-star rating system to help consumers interpret crash-test results when comparing cars. For front-end crashes, star ratings are determined by a car’s score on three criteria: head injury, chest deceleration, and femur load. The ratings for frontal crashes are summarized below:
Some NHTSA crash-test ratings can be compared across vehicle classes and weights. For example, side-crash test results can be compared across all classes because the test is set up so that a particular moving barrier hits all vehicles with the same force. Rollover ratings can also be compared across all classes. Front-end-collision test results, however, can only be compared among vehicles in the same class and among those weighing within 250 lbs of each other.
Adding to NHTSA information, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates cars on the results of rear-end-crash tests. Instead of a five-star system, the IIHS, uses a four-level, color-coded system:
Good (green)
Acceptable (yellow)
Marginal (orange)
Poor (red)
REFERENCES
U.S. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Retrieved April 10, 2006, from http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/BASC2005/pages/CrashTestRatings.htm
Highway Loss Data Institute. (1996–2005) Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Retrieved April 10, 2006, from http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_restraint_info.html
National Safety Council. 2006. Injury Facts, 2005-2006 Edition. Itasca, IL.