A RATIONAL APPROACH TO CAR-OCCUPANT PROTECTION

This article emphasized the need for the use of safety belts, the establishing of 21 as a minimum drinking age, and mandatory driving bans for repeat-drunk driving offenders. It also notes the need for passive air bag protection as an additional safety measure in all cars. Automatic safety belts are also discussed. Statistics show that in typical automobile accidents, occupants restrained by standard safety belts have at least 50% better chance of avoiding death or serious injury than those who are unrestrained. It is noted that airbags offer supplemental protection in frontal collisions at speeds greater than 12 to 15 mph but it does not provide protection as safety belts do in other kinds of accidents like secondary collisions, rollovers, rear-end, or side-impact collisions. Statistics are quoted to illustrate the extent of the drunk driving problem which has generated grass roots campaigns against habitual drunk driving offenders and in favor of more effective prevention and tougher penalties.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Safety Council

  444 North Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL  United States  60611
• Authors:
  • CALDWELL, P
• Publication Date: 1985-2

Media Info

• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • National Safety News
  • Volume: 131
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: National Safety Council

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; Injuries; Legal drinking age; Manual safety belts; Passive restraint systems; Prevention; Rear end crashes; Restraint systems; Rollover crashes; Side crashes
• Old TRIS Terms: Occupant restraint
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450115
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-038 359
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM