Compact accident research

The current study was presented on the 28th ESV conference and is based on the Master’s theses of Isabella Aleshina-Baerwald and Marco Mario Lutze, supported by the German Insurers Accident Research and the Department of Vehicle Engi­neering at TU Berlin.

The present research results follow on from a series of studies by GDV into the ease of repair and damage claims made in respect of battery-electric cars (electric cars) and extend this actuarial viewpoint from the perspective of the German Insurers Accident Research.

This accident research summary is based on the findings of UDV research report no. 100: “Assisted driving functions on rural roads – suitability and development of representative test scenarios and evaluation of driving behavior.” Since the year 2000, it has been the goal of the European Commission to halve the number of road traffic fatalities every ten years. By 2050, there should no longer be any road traffic fatalities (Vision Zero).

In the context of gender equity, a so-called “gender gap” is sometimes assumed to exist in the development of crash safety of passenger cars. Several analyses of crash data from the U.S. had found a higher risk for moderate and severe injuries for female occupants than for male occupants. The present study aims to identify variables that determine injury severity. It analyses crash data from the German In-Depth Accident Study (GIDAS) that represent the basis for a statistical analysis using multivariate logistic regression to model the probability of injury for given severity levels.

The majority of cycling accidents in Germany are collisions between two parties. However, single-vehicle accidents of cyclists without the involvement of a second party are becoming increasingly relevant.

In 2023, 446 cyclists were killed in road traffic accidents in Germany, approxi-mately 42 percent of them (189 cyclists) outside of built-up areas. 

The number of bicycles as a proportion of total road traffic has risen considerably in recent years, in particular in connection with the Covid pandemic and above all in urban areas [RAD20]. At the same time, bicycles are increasingly being used not only as a means of transport for the cyclists themselves, but also as a way of transporting children. In addition to conventional child seats, the use of bicycle trailers and cargo bicycles is also growing.

There were a total of 17,755 accidents involving personal injury on Germany’s motorways in 2022, that is approximately 11 percent fewer than in 2019. This change is due, in particular, to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The purpose of the present study is to use accident data relating to wrong-way driving incidents on motorways in order to identify patterns, assess possible countermeasures and compare their effectiveness. 

Functions of vehicle operation, such as windscreen wiper settings, are increasingly being implemented digitally and operated via touch displays. They integrate many functions. However their operation distracts from the driving task. In a study, the UDV therefore investigated how in-vehicle HMI should be designed to be as least distractive as possible.