title: Correlation Between Euro NCAP Pedestrian Test Results and Injury Severity in Injury Crashes with Pedestrians and Bicyclists in Sweden.
abstract: Pedestrians and bicyclists account for a significant share of deaths and serious injuries in the road transport system. The protection of pedestrians in car-to-pedestrian crashes has therefore been addressed by friendlier car fronts and since 1997, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) has assessed the level of protection for most car models available in Europe. In the current study, Euro NCAP pedestrian scoring was compared with real-life injury outcomes in car-to-pedestrian and car-tobicyclist crashes occurring in Sweden. Approximately 1200 injured pedestrians and 2000 injured bicyclists were included in the study. Groups of cars with low, medium and high pedestrian scores were compared with respect to pedestrian injury severity on the Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS)-level and risk of permanent medical impairment (RPMI). Significant injury reductions to both pedestrians and bicyclists were found between low and high performing cars. For pedestrians, the reduction of MAIS2+, MAIS3+, RPMI1+ and RPMI10+ ranged from 20-56% and was significant on all levels except for MAIS3+ injuries. Pedestrian head injuries had the highest reduction, 80-90% depending on level of medical impairment. For bicyclist, an injury reduction was only observed between medium and high performing cars. Significant injury reductions were found for all body regions. It was also found that cars fitted with autonomous emergency braking including pedestrian detection might have a 60-70% lower crash involvement than expected. Based on these results, it was recommended that pedestrian protection are implemented on a global scale to provide protection for vulnerable road users worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Swedish Transport Administration, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strandroth
authors.affiliation: Swedish Transport Administration, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sternlund
authors.affiliation: Swedish Transport Administration, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lie
authors.affiliation: Swedish Transport Administration, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tingvall
authors.affiliation: Folksam Research, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzi
authors.affiliation: Folksam Research, Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kullgren
authors.affiliation: Chalmers University of Technology.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohlin
authors.affiliation: Autoliv Research.
authors.forename: Rikard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fredriksson
mesh_terms: D015998:Abbreviated Injury Scale; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001336:Automobiles; D001642:Bicycling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064088:Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016138:Walking / Q000293:injuries; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control