A new approach is described in this work to predict impact sensitivity of a variety of polynitroaliphatics, polynitroaromatics and the explosives containing N-NO2. This paper introduces some simple correlations for prediction of impact sensitivity of CaHbNcOd explosives using a, b, c, d, molecular weight and structure information of the explosive. The new correlations are applied to test different polynitroaromatics, benzofuroxans and nitramines. The results are compared with experimental data and some models of complex quantum mechanics computation. Predicted impact sensitivities for 46 explosives have a root mean square (rms) of deviation from experiment of 24 cm, which show good agreement with respect to measured values as compared to five different quantum mechanical models. Impact sensitivities for 58 polynitroaliphatics and related explosives are also calculated, and have a rms deviation from experiment of 40 cm. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.