3.11 AUTOMOBILE CLASSIFICATION BY WEIGHT

3.11 Automobile Classification by Weight 

 

3.11.1 introduction: The purpose of this classification is to describe the weights of automobiles involved in motor vehicle  crashes. 

 

3.11.2 categories: There are three mutually exclusive categories of automobile weight, based on curb weight expressed to the nearest 100 pounds. Curb weight is the weight of an automobile with standard equipment and a full complement of fuel and other fluids, but with no occupants or other load. Where a finer breakdown is desired, the three-category set may be expanded to a seven-category set. 

 

3.11.2.1 three-category set: Primary automobile weight categories are:

 

Light — curb weight 2,400 pounds (1,089 kilograms) or less 

 

Midweight — curb weight 2,500 to 3,400 pounds (1,134 to 1,542 kilograms) 

 

Heavy — curb weight 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms) or more 

 

3.11.2.2 seven-category set: Secondary automobile weight categories are: 

 

A — curb weight 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms) or less 

 

B — curb weight 1,500 to 1,900 pounds (680 to 862 kilograms) 

C — curb weight 2,000 to 2,400 pounds (907 to 1,089 kilograms) 

 

D — curb weight 2,500 to 2,900 pounds (1,134 to 1,315 kilograms) 

 

E — curb weight 3,000 to 3,400 pounds (1,361 to 1,542 kilograms) 

 

F — curb weight 3,500 to 3,900 pounds (1,588 to 1,769 kilograms) 

 

G — curb weight 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms) or more 

 

3.11.3 guide to classification: It is not expected that automobile weight categories will generally be determined by investigating officers or entered on crash report forms. These data ordinarily may be obtained more economically and accurately by computer interpretation of vehicle identification numbers (VINs), from tables of weight by year, make and model, or by other means.