Technical Paper
An Assessment of the Effects of Vehicle Weight and Size on Fatality Risk in 1985 to 1998 Model Year Passenger Cars and 1985 to 1997 Model Year Light Trucks and Vans
2005-04-11
2005-01-1354
An understanding of the independent effects of vehicle weight and size on overall vehicle safety is necessary in order to assess the risks and benefits of vehicle weight reduction. This paper describes the results of statistical analyses of 1985 to 1998 model year passenger cars and 1985 to 1997 model year light trucks and vans (LTVs) involved in traffic accidents in the US from 1995 to 1999 to quantify these effects. The analyses involved aggregate linear regression and logistic regression of US FARS fatal accident data, state accident data, and vehicle registration data, using methods based on or adapted from methods described in published NHTSA Technical Reports.
