Ms Meyerson summarised the US benefit cost analysis for the FMVSS 214 pole side impact rulemaking process (PSI-01-16).

Mr Langner presented a summary of the EEVC benefit cost analysis of side impact test procedures on behalf of EEVC WG13 and EEVC WG21 (PSI-01-17).

Ms Tylko asked if the EEVC analysis had weighted the serious injury costs to account for the higher cost of head injuries compared to other injuries. Mr Damm advised that the serious injury costs used in the EEVC analysis are average costs for all serious injuries.
Ms Tylko pointed out that it is important to account for the fact there is much less difference between fatal crash costs and serious injury crash costs for accident types, such as pole side impacts, where serious head injuries are more common.

Mr Langner advised the Informal Group that it was important to note that the costs of countermeasures were calculated in Euros from costs provided by the German car industry, while benefits were calculated in Pounds based on analysis of UK crash data. The cost benefit ratio could therefore fluctuate with the exchange rate, and the objective of the EEVC analysis was to establish the relative benefits and costs of alternative side impact test procedures, rather than true cost benefit ratios.

Mr Hogan noted that costs and benefits could vary substantially from one country to the next, and that the Informal Group should seek to establish cost and benefit estimates for a number of different countries. Mr Hogan also stated that industry will need to be approached to provide up to date cost estimates for different pole side impact test methods at an appropriate stage during the future work of the group.