Abstract
Event data recorders are installed on many late-model cars and light trucks as an adjunct to air bag sensing and control systems. Research has suggested that these devices will provide a valuable new source of collision data, enabling a better understanding of traffic safety issues, and affording an opportunity for the development of new and effective countermeasures. It is important to note that access to data captured by on-board recording systems may be the only means by which the performance of complex vehicle control systems, such as advanced occupant restraints, can be properly evaluated. Crash data retrieval systems, now coming to market, offer the potential to acquire a range of objective data which can be incorporated with conventional in-depth collision investigation techniques. Through real-world case studies, the authors demonstrate that, while these data can be extremely informative for some crashes, caution must be adopted in interpreting the captured data.