FATALITY RATE COMPARISON, WITH AND WITHOUT AIR BAGS, FEBRUARY 14, 1979, AMENDED NOVEMBER 9, 1979

Updated estimates of air bag system field performance are compared with those of conventional belt systems or no restraints in equivalent cars throughout the U.S. population in terms of fatality rates per 1000 car years of exposure. The fatality rates are lower by nearly one-half for private cars equipped with the air cushion restraint system (ACRS) and by about one-third for all air bag systems than for cars having standard seat belts. These figures represent a 40% effectiveness of the ACRS with respect to the present level of regular belt system use, and a corresponding 30% effectiveness for all air bag systems. Compared with no restraints, the ACRS was 45% effective and all air bag systems were 36% effective.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Available as reference copy only.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  Engineering Systems, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Cooke, C
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 22 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Fatalities; Measures of effectiveness; Performance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Field performance
• Old TRIS Terms: Air cushion restraint system
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00367944
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOC-74-14, HS-805 550
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 30 1982 12:00AM