Variations between Driver and Passenger Safety

Most older automobiles have some distinction in how nicely they shield their drivers and their passengers – however are there automobiles the place the distinction is so nice that in the identical 35 mph entrance crash, with each occupants sporting seat belts, one would stroll away and the opposite be fatally injured? Because it seems, sure, and this has occurred on a number of events, with each the motive force and passenger being the “fortunate” occupant. 

For this evaluation, I analyzed 468 automobiles crash examined from mannequin years 1979-1994, all automobiles which had legitimate head and chest damage measurements (in order that an correct calculation of damage danger might be made for every occupant). 

Listed here are the statistics:

-The typical distinction between the occupants was 16.6%. Nevertheless, the median distinction was solely 9.4%, exhibiting that almost all automobiles had a comparatively small distinction and {that a} comparatively small variety of outliers elevated the imply.

-The typical danger of extreme damage for a driver was 32.8%, and for a passenger, 27.1%. 

-156 automobiles (33.3%) have been safer for his or her driver, and 299 (63.8%) for his or her passenger. The remaining 13 (2.8%) had a distinction of 0%. The vary was 84% much less danger for the motive force of a 1990 Chrysler LeBaron than its passenger to 88% much less danger for the passenger of a 1985 Dodge Lancer than its driver.

Histograms exhibiting the information distribution are under.

The primary histogram exhibits the variations together with the occupant (as an example, 44 automobiles had a danger of between 20-30% decrease for his or her passenger than for his or her driver) and the second exhibits absolutely the distinction (as an example, 144 automobiles had a distinction of lower than 5% between every occupant).

What are the causes for every of those variations? Within the case of the automobiles close to the proper tail (i.e. passenger a lot safer than driver), it was typically steering column issues, the place a automobile stayed comparatively structurally sound however the steering column rotated upwards and/or pushed rearward. Seat belt issues – the place a seat belt was robust sufficient to stop a passenger from placing the dashboard, however not the motive force, given the shorter distance to decelerate – additionally performed a job. 

As for automobiles the place the motive force faired higher, not surprisingly, in all three automobiles the place the distinction was 70% or better, the automobile was outfitted with a driver airbag however not a passenger airbag; this theme performed out with many automobiles with average variations in favor of the motive force as nicely. Within the lesser circumstances, it might have been as a result of driver placing a collapsible steering column in a positive method, whereas a passenger struck the dashboard with extreme power.