Census study of fatal car-to-car intersection crashes in Sweden involving modern vehicles

Intersections are challenging for many road users. According to US, European, and global statistics, intersection-related crashes with fatal outcome represent approximately 20 percent of all traffic fatalities. The aim of this study was to use Swedish data to investigate and characterize fatal car-to-car intersection crashes for modern cars equipped with frontal and side air bags.

The Swedish Transport Administration (STA) national database on fatal crashes was searched to find vehicle-to-vehicle intersection crashes involving modern cars that occurred between 2003 and 2009 that resulted in fatal injuries for at least one of the involved passengers. From all intersection crashes, the car-to-car crashes from the sample were analyzed at an occupant level. Occupant location in the target vehicle with respect to impact direction as well as AIS3+ injuries to body regions was examined for the total car-to-car sample. Crashes involving a target vehicle equipped with front and side air bags were then selected for an in-depth study.

In the STA database, 39 vehicle-to-vehicle crashes matched the search criteria. Of 39 crashes, 17 involved a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) as the striking vehicle, and 17 were car-to-car crashes. All car-to-car crashes were side impacts, occurring at rural intersections, involving 20 (12 female and 8 male) fatally injured occupants, 15 of whom were 61 years or older and classified as senior occupants. A majority of fatally injured occupants sustained combined AIS3+ injuries to more than one body region.

All modern car-to-car crashes with a fatal outcome occurring at Swedish intersections from 2003 to 2009 were side impacts. The crashes were characterized by a senior front seat driver, traveling with a front seat passenger, hit on the left side at approximately 70 km/h. In this study all fatal crashes occurred at severities beyond those currently evaluated in side impact rating procedures but were within survivable limits for a non-senior occupant in a majority of cases.