Citation

Teoh ER. Traffic Injury Prev. 2014; 15(6): 606-611.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15389588.2013.853295

PMID

24571210

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Provide updated death rates comparing latest generations of frontal airbags in fatal crashes. METHODS: Rates of driver and right-front passenger deaths in frontal crashes per 10 million registered vehicle years were compared using Poisson marginal structural models for passenger vehicles equipped with airbags certified as advanced and compliant (CAC), sled-certified airbags with advanced features, and sled-certified airbags without any advanced features. Analyses of driver death rates were disaggregated by age group, gender, and belt use. RESULTS: CAC airbags were associated with slightly elevated frontal crash death rates for both drivers and right-front passengers, compared with sled-certified airbags with advanced features, but the differences were not statistically significant. Sled-certified airbags with advanced features were associated with significant benefits for drivers and for right-front passengers compared with sled certified airbags without advanced features. CAC airbags were associated with a significant increase in belted driver death rate and a comparable but nonsignificant decrease in unbelted driver death rate compared with sled-certified airbags with advanced features. Sled-certified airbags with advanced features were associated with a nonsignificant 2 percent increase in belted driver death rate and a significant 26 percent decrease in unbelted driver death rate, relative to sled-certified airbags without advanced features. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing advanced features to sled-certified airbags was beneficial, overall, to drivers and right-front passengers with sled-certified airbags. No overall benefit was observed for CAC airbags, compared with sled-certified airbags with advanced features. Further study is needed to understand the apparent reduction in belted driver protection observed for CAC airbags.

Language: en