ESTIMATE OF OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS EFFECTIVENESS

THE BEST AVAILABLE STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE THREE POINT HARNESS - A COMBINED LAP AND SHOULDER BELT WITH A COMMON BUCKELE - IS CONTAINED IN A REPORT BY A.B. VOLVO, THE SWEDISH AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. VOLVO PROVIDED EACH AUTOMOBILE PURCHASER WITH THE EQUIVALENT OF A FREE $80-DEDUCTIBLE COLLISION DAMAGE INSURANCE POLICY, AND AS A CONSEQUENCE RECEIVED AND WAS IN A POSITION TO ANALYZE THOUSANDS OF DAMAGE AND INJURY REPORTS. THE STUDY COVERS THE PERIOD MARCH 28, 1965 TO MARCH 28, 1966, INVOLVING 28,780 REPORTS. COMPARISONS BETWEEN BELTED AND UNBELTED OCCUPANT INJURIES, FATAL AND NON FATAL, SHOW THAT THE RATIO OF INJURY INCIDENCE, BELTED TO UNBELTED IS .4789 AND RATIO OF FATALITY INCIDENCE IS .0976. VOLVO SUPPORTS THE FIGURE OF .52 FOR MITIGATION OF CRASH INJURIES THROUGH 100- PERCENT HARNESS USE. THE WIDELY VARIABLE PREDICTIONS FOR THE AIR BAG, PRESENTED BY VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, CANNOT BE CONFIRMED OR CONTRADICTED BY HARD DATA BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF A STATISTICALLY ADEQUATE BODY OF EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE.

• Corporate Authors:

  Cum Regul Effects Cost Auto Transp

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Gates, H P
• Publication Date: 1972-2-28

Media Info

• Pagination: p. Ii-c1-i
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Smith, Wilbur & Associates
  • Publisher: Smith, Wilbur & Associates

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Constraints; Impacts; Prevention; Restraint systems; Safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Data
• Old TRIS Terms: Passenger restraints
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223786
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 1972 12:00AM