Examination of Crash Contributing Factors Using National Crash Database

Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office;Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center2003PDFTech ReportCampbell, Brittany N.Smith, John D.Najm, WassimJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationUnited StatesCrash analysisCrash avoidance systemsSingle vehicle crashesCollisionsSafetyIntelligent vehiclesIntelligent transportation systemsIntelligent vehicle initiativeCrash preventionFatalities reductionCollision warning/avoidance systemsFHWA-JPO-05009DOT-VNTSC-NHTSA-02-07DOT-HS-809-664HS319/S3059This report examines contributing factors to single vehicle off-roadway, rear-end, and lane change crashes involving light vehicles (passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and pickup trucks). The analysis is based on crash data obtained from the National Automotive Sampling System's 1997-2000 Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) and 2000 General Estimates System (GES). Research on crash contributing factors was divided into three phases: phase one provides a comparison of CDS and GES contributing factor distributions; phase two examines crash severity in relation to contributing factors; and phase three determines contributing factors based on pre-crash scenarios. This report classifies crash severity into severe and less severe crashes based on whether or not the vehicle involved in a crash was towed from the scene due to damage. Results from phase one indicate that contributing factor distributions for the CDS and GES matched fairly closely; however, discrepancies were found for inattention and speeding. Phase two results found that contributing factors were similar in the majority of crash types regardless of the severity of the crash; however, the relative frequency of alcohol/drugs and sleepy/drowsy were found to be influenced by crash severity for single vehicle off-roadway and rear-end crash types. Phase three results showed that the contributing factors were influenced more by the critical event than the vehicle movement prior to the critical event in precrash scenarios leading to single vehicle off-roadway crashes.105