Iccident heck-up
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TIONALLY in 1975 there re 3,200 HGV occupant 5uaIties. This represents 2 r cent of all vehicle occuat casualties. Of these only a arter (800 casualties) susned fatal or serious injuries. though the numbers of sualties in HGV's are atively small when they do cur they are usually the iult of impact between two Ws or between an HGV and oad side obstacle.
fatal injuries received in ;umber of accidents to heavy ods vehicles recently invesated by the Transport and ■ ad Research Laboratory !re associated either with tssive intrusion of the cab .ucture into the driving mpartment or with ejection the occupants.
None of the HGV accidents restivated were fitted with y form of restraining harss However, an attempt ts made to identify the in-ies that might have been vented or reduced. in verity if the occupants had en wearing lap and diagonal it belts. The results indicate at correctly fitted seat belts ly have prevented all or )St of the injuries in about e quarter of the cases.