Experience with emerging safety technologies in Australia
Australia
Analysis of crash data to estimate the benefits of emerging vehicle technology
Summary Information
A literature review was conducted to develop effectiveness estimates and determine costs for active and passive in-vehicle safety technologies in the United States and New South Wales, Australia. Using historical police reported crash data in New South Wales from 1999 to 2008 researchers estimated safety and cost savings benefits for each technology and then calculated benefit-cost ratios by comparing the estimated benefits to estimated costs required to equip relevant types of vehicles (passenger vehicles, commercial trucks, and motorcycles).
The table below drawn from the source report provides a summary of the crash reduction potential, monetized crash savings, and benefit-to cost ratios for the technologies examined. The analysis used a discount rate of 5.5 percent and assumed a constant number of registered vehicles and constant number of crashes. The time frame for each benefit period reflected the service life for each particular type of vehicle (16 years for passenger vehicles, 13 years for trucks and 11 years for motorcycles).
Technology | Estimated Annual Crash Reductions in Australia[1] | Crash Savings[2] (2006 $ million US) | Estimated Benefit-to-Cost Ratios | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fatality (% of all fatalities) | Non-fatal Injury[1] | Passenger Vehicle | Truck | Motorcycle | ||
Forward collision avoidance (all speeds) | 227 (16%) | 54,305 | $2,997.83 | 1.3 | 1.8 | - |
Fatigue management systems | 150 (10%) | 9,301 | $728.65 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 2.0 |
Alcohol interlocks | 217 (15%) | 9,233 | $717.80 | 0.5 | 2.5 | - |
Forward collision avoidance (80 km/hr or greater) | 127 (9%) | 8,204 | $631.69 | 0.2 | 1.1 | - |
Motorcycle ABS | 88 (6%) | 8,618 | $575.25 | - | - | 27 |
Dedicated pedestrian detection (daylight) | 43 (3%) | 6,711 | $300.29* | 0.2 | 0.3 | - |
Lane departure warnings | 100 (7%) | 4,177 | $390.01 | 0.3 | 2.2 | - |
Lane change warnings | 14 (1%) | 5,031 | $264.11 | 0.2 | 0.7 | - |
Seat belt interlocks | 88 (6%) | 726 | $193.92 | 1.6 | 3.3 | - |
Dedicate pedestrian detection (darkness) | 54 (4%) | 2,007 | $168.60* | 0.0 | 0.1 | - |
Seat belt reminder | 71 (5%) | 580 | $154.85* | 1.3 | 2.7 | - |
Truck stability | 20 (1%) | 1,130 | $91.17 | - | 1.5 | - |
Motorcycle traction control | 10 (1%) | 1,091 | $70.91 | - | - | 1.7 |
Rear seat belt improvements | 4 (0%) | 10,617 | $31.11* | 0.1 | - | - |
Motorcycle airbags | 2 (0.1%) | 51 | $5.79* | 0.03 |
[2] Property damage only crash costs imputed from injury costs except where indicated (next note) 2006 average annual exchange rate $1US =$1.382 Australian
* Property damage only crash costs excluded from estimate