Publication

The aim of this study was to identify risk factors in side impact. In particular risk factors such as kerb weight of striking/struck passenger car, age, gender, the presence of a front-seat occupant and side airbags influence the injury outcome. The Swedish database STRADA was used to analyze and identify risk factors in side impact crashes. All near-side front seat occupants in car-to-car side impacts reported by the police from year 2003 to 2009 were included (n=3360). The severity classification made by the police was used to compare the injury risk. Pair comparison technique was used to study the relative risk between the driver in the striking car and the near-side occupant in the struck car. The higher kerb weight of the striking passenger car, the higher risk of being sever injured in the struck passenger car. The opposite relation was found regarding the kerb weight of struck passenger car. Being senior or having a  passenger beside in a side impact means a higher risk of sustaining serious injuries. Current side airbag systems, such as torso bags with or without head curtains, reduce the injury risk in side impact for near-side occupants.