Overview and analysis of serious injury crashes – crash types, injury outcomes and contributing factors, ECIS Report 1 (MUARC Report 343)

Through sponsorship and support from the Victorian Transport Accident Commission (TAC), the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) with leading local and international partners established the Enhanced Crash Investigation Study (ECIS).

The ECIS program was designed to provide insight into how crashes occur and then using this information, identify measures that would be effective in preventing occupants of vehicles being seriously injured in the event of a crash.

The findings of the ECIS program are presented over four reports. This report is the first in the series and provides an overview of the key features of ECIS and high-level findings. Focus areas for this report are: 

• Overview of the ECIS program and rationale.
• Description of the ECIS study design and data collection.
• Description of crashes and associated injury severity outcomes.
• Contributing factors for crash occurrence and injury outcomes.
• An assessment of the safety performance of Victoria’s road transport system as it applies to passenger vehicle crashes against an inherently safe road transport system.

The goal in undertaking this research was to identify opportunities to improve road safety in Victoria. It is anticipated that the findings will be of value in the development of future road safety strategies. With the findings presented in a manner consistent with the Safe System approach, the findings can serve as a baseline against which the impact of future actions can be measured.