Effect of vehicle and crash factors on older occupants.
OBJECTIVE
The expected substantial increase in people aged 65 or older is important for those concerned about transportation injuries. However, much of the previous research concentrates on older drivers and overlooks the fact that vehicle and crash factors may provide significant explanations of older occupant injury rates.


METHODS
Differences across age groups are explored using two nationwide travel surveys, crash involvement, fatalities, and injuries from crash databases and an ordered probit model of injury severity.


CONCLUSIONS
Two noticeable differences that help explain injury risk are that older people are more likely to travel in passenger cars than younger people who frequently use light trucks, and that seriously injured older occupants are more likely to be involved in side-impact crashes than their younger counterparts.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased attention to vehicle engagement in side-impact crashes and to vehicle technologies that can help drivers avoid side collisions would be particularly helpful for older occupants.
Austin
Rory A
RA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room 5320, 400 7th Street, Southwest, Washington, DC 20590, USA. raustin@nhtsa.dot.gov
Faigin
Barbara M
BM
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology