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A new "On-The-Spot' (OTS) accident research project is now underway in the UK. This project enables expert investigators to attend the scene of an accident within 15 minutes of the incident occurring, which allows the collection of accident data that would otherwise be quickly lost. This paper considers previous studies and the justification for a new research approach before describing methodology used on the spot and during subsequent follow-up research. Investigations focus on all types of vehicles (including damage, failures, features fitted and their contribution); the highway (including design, features, maintenance and condition); the human factors (including drivers, riders, passengers and pedestrians); and the injuries sustained. Five hundred crashes will be studied in depth each year. The project objectives include establishing an in-depth database that will permit analyses to better understand the causes of crashes and injuries, and assist in the development of solutions.

In this analysis, body-region injury-risk ratings determined for consumers by EuroNCAP are examined from the perspective of real contemporary accidents. The aim is to compare the real-life experience of various occupants with the objective and subjective conclusions that are presented by EuroNCAP. The accident sample, of several car models, is taken from the Cooperative Crash Injury Study (CCIS), and is comprised of crashes similar to the impact tests. CCIS is the in-depth project that analyses a sample of severe car accidents and provides the foundation of much of the UK's secondary car-safety research program. The European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) has had a significant influence on the way that cars are designed. Objective measurements from frontal and side impact tests of each vehicle are augmented by assessments based on real-world accident investigation experience.