Motor vehicle sizes in 1440 fatal crashes

All motor vehicle related fatalities, including pedestrian, motorcyclist and bicyclist deaths, in 1970-1971 in Maryland were examined by vehicle size, driver descriptives, and situational variables. Occupant deaths per 100,000 vehicle years registered were substantially higher among smaller vehicles but pedestrian deaths were higher for larger vehicles. Motorcycles, tractor-trailer trucks and cars with wheelbases of 105 inches (2.67 meters) or less respectively, had first, second and third highest deaths per years registered for their occupants or riders and pedestrians combined. Variations in driver descriptives or situational variables did not account for the relationship between size and fatal injury. More than 88% of occupants, after exclusion of each index death, survived-suggesting that better energy management in vehicles would increase survival substantially.