DEVELOPMENTS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE VEHICULAR SAFETY. FINAL REPORT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 'COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF VEHICLES' STUDY

This report describes all the current technical developments in the vehicular safety field, relating both to facilities which promote active safety and to facilities which benefit passive safety. The following vehicle types are dealt with: passenger cars, lorries, buses, delivery vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, and bicycles. Developments in the active safety field include the chassis of four-wheel vehicles, vehicle lighting, and various telematics applications. Concerning passive safety, attention is paid to developments in the field of collision durability of passenger cars and various safety devices. Each of the developments discussed focuses attention on: the effect of facilities on road safety and on human behaviour, the presence or absence of a base of support for these developments in the community, and on their feasibility. It is shown how active and passive safety should evolve in order to realise the 'sustainably safe' traffic system concept. The report has also investigated studies on infrastructure, human behaviour and legislation/enforcement with respect to their interaction with the vehicle and vehicular safety. An inventory was made of all agents which influence passive and active vehicular safety and their inter-relationships. The role of the Dutch government is considered as important both within the national and international framework.