Priorities for future vehicle safety improvements in the Western Australian light vehicle fleet

This project aimed to model the potential road trauma reductions that could be achieved in Western Australia through safer vehicle choices, particularly for Government and Corporate fleets. A specific aim was to identify safety technologies or vehicle purchasing strategies that could lead to the greatest and most cost-effective road trauma reductions.
Police reported crash data in W.A. from 2006-2009 and snapshots of the W.A. registered vehicle fleet from 2006-2012 were analysed by fleet type (corporate, government and private). Analysis estimated the cross sectional profile of the WA vehicle fleet in terms of vehicle type, safety performance and crash involvement types. Changes to the cross section over time were projected forward as a basis on which to estimate the safety effects of various fleet change scenarios.
Universal fitment of forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking systems operating at all speeds was the scenario estimated to provide the greatest reductions in injuries and associated societal costs. Purchasing the safest vehicle within intended market group through use of resources such as ANCAP was estimated to provide the next greatest benefit. The aggressive nature of the W.A. vehicle fleet meant purchasing less aggressive vehicles was estimated to have the next greatest benefit: cars instead of SUVs in metropolitan areas and reduced size SUVs in rural areas.