Frontal impacts, due to their prevalence, account for about 77 % of all injuries and 62 % of all fatalities in guardrail crashes. This analysis examined the distribution of injury in frontal guardrail crashes using 711 crash records extracted from the National Automotive Sampling System – Crashworthiness Data System, spanning the years from 1997 to 2008. Frontal crashes to end terminals were found to carry injury odds 5.1 times greater than frontal crashes to the guardrail face. End terminals compliant with NCHRP Report 350 safety criteria have injury odds between 11 and 19 times lower than non-compliant designs. Rollover and unbelted occupants were associated with 25 % of all frontal guardrail crashes, yet were present in 61 % of serious injury crashes. Rollover occurred in 9.2 % of all frontal guardrail crashes and was initiated by the guardrail in roughly 49 % of instances. Guardrail end terminal contact increased rollover odds by 6.7 times over contact with the guardrail face
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