Belted driver protection in frontal impact--what has been achieved and where do future priorities lie?

Examining injuries to real people in real crashes is the most meaningful way to validate improvements in crashworthiness as well as to determine where future priorities lie. Examination of U.K national statistics showed that, coincident with the introduction of airbag/pretensioner restraints, there was a significant fall in the rates of killed/seriously injured car occupants as well as a significant fall in the number of car occupant fatalities. Interrogation of the UK in-depth crash injury data for belted drivers in frontal crashes between 20-70 km/h ETS showed substantial reductions in AIS 2+ injury to the head in newer cars. In the same sample of crashes, no corresponding reductions in AIS 2+ injury were found for the chest, thigh and leg.