MUARC ECIS Fact Sheet 3: Vehicle safety, speed, and injury severity

Fact Sheet highlighting the relationship between impact speed, injury severity, and vehicle crashworthiness. The ECIS findings highlight the fundamental mismatch between current speed limits and the ability of vehicles to protect drivers from serious injury. This includes modern, 5-star safety-rated vehicles.

Lowering speed limits to match the level of protection in the road environment and the safety offered by vehicles given foreseeable crash types would be highly effective in addressing this risk factor. Ensuring driver compliance with these speed limits would ensure optimal reductions in serious injuries could be achieved. Improved vehicle safety and technology will be critical in achieving future reductions in road trauma.