The effectiveness of airbags in Australia as determined by in-depth crash injury research

This study presents some results from a case-control\nstudy of crashed vehicles equipped with Australian\nairbag technology (Supplementary Restraint\nSystems). Vehicles were inspected and occupants\ninterviewed according to the National Accident\nSampling System (NASS). Data were available for\n383 belted drivers involved in frontal crashes\nincluding 253 drivers in airbag-equipped vehicles and\n130 drivers in non-airbag vehicles. The analysis\nrevealed reductions in the numbers of injuries to the\nhead, face chest and neck in the airbag-equipped\nvehicles although the numbers of upper extremity\ninjuries increased. At higher injury severities\n(AIS2+) reductions were also observed in injuries to\nthe head, face, neck and chest. Further analysis using\nHarm as an outcome measure found that the mean\nHarm per driver (in terms of $AUD) were 60%\ngreater in the non-airbag vehicles compared with the\nairbag-equipped vehicles. Thus airbags in Australia\nwould appear to offer a significant saving in terms of\ncosts to society.\nIn general, the main conclusion from the study was\nthat the results offer a strong indication that the\nAustralian Design Rule (ADR) 69 requirement has\nbeen successful at addressing some of the outstanding\nissues that remain for injury prevention for drivers\ninvolved in frontal impacts.