Citation

Braver ER, Shardell M, Teoh ER. Ann. Epidemiol. 2010; 20(7): 499-510.

Affiliation

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, USA. elisabraver@gmail.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, American College of Epidemiology, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.annepidem.2010.04.005

PMID

20538193

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine whether front air bag changes have affected occupant protection, frontal crash mortality rates were compared among front outboard occupants in vehicles having certified-advanced air bags (latest generation of air bags) or sled-certified air bags with and without advanced features. METHODS: Poisson marginal structural models were used to calculate standardized mortality rate ratios (MRRs) for front occupants per registered vehicle. RESULTS: Vehicle age-corrected mortality rates were lower for drivers of vehicles having sled-certified air bags with advanced features than for drivers having sled-certified air bags without advanced features (MRR = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.95), including unbelted men and drivers younger than 60. The mortality rate was higher, though not statistically significant, for drivers having certified-advanced air bags compared with sled-certified air bags with advanced features (vehicle age-corrected MRR = 1.13; 95% CI: 0.97-1.32) and significantly higher for belted drivers (MRR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.04-1.39). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced air bag features appeared protective for some occupants. However, increased mortality rates among belted drivers of vehicles having certified-advanced air bags relative to those having sled-certified air bags with advanced features suggest that further study is needed to identify any potential problems with requirements for certification.

Language: en