Collection and analysis of EDR data from crash-involved vehicles: 2021 summary report

Abstract

Modern vehicles are fitted with Event Data Recorders (EDRs) that constantly record variables such as speed, seatbelt usage, accelerator/brake pedal position, and steering wheel angle. When a crash occurs, a snapshot of the final few seconds of these variables are saved on the EDR in addition to crash related variables such as change in velocity (delta-v) and safety system deployments. In 2017, CASR established a data collection process whereby a large number of crash-involved vehicles could be accessed regularly from a single location (an auction yard) and the EDR data downloaded. Additionally, the South Australian Police Major Crash unit provided EDR data to CASR, downloaded from vehicles involved in investigated serious crashes. In 2021, CASR successfully retrieved EDR data from 171 crashed vehicles, of which 143 (83.6%) had associated police vehicle collision reports. This collection has contributed to a current total of 827 EDR records with 639 matched to police reports and 171 injured occupants matched to hospital injury data. In the sample of cases collected by CASR from the auction yard, 27.1% of bullet (striking) vehicles, and 40.3% of free-speed vehicles were found to be speeding. The rate of seatbelt wearing for front seat occupants in the sample was 96.9%.