RESTRAINT SYSTEM EFFECTIVENESS

The general objective of the study reported here was a comprehensive assessment of the injury-reducing potential of various automobile occupant safety restraint systems, including both existing and proposed systems, some of which require occupant participation (active systems), some of which do not (passive systems), and some systems with both active and passive elements. An analysis of different systems employing the same benefit criterion and the same basic assumptions should enhance confidence in the comparative, if not the absolute, nature of conclusions about the effectiveness of the systems. This report contains a main body discussing the model used in generating the results along with the results themselves. In addition, a number of technical appendices are included which describe in detail the underlying assumptions and computational procedures by which certain of the model parameters were developed. Fifteen restraint systems were studied. The driver in each system was assumed to have protection from a third-generation, energy-absorbing (E/A) steering column. The 15 systems categorized by the restraint available to occupants in each fatalities among unrestrained occupants which would be avoided through use of a safety restraint system. Although a number of additional criteria incorporating economic considerations and casualties other than fatalities coudl have been included, this analysis was made strictly in terms of lives saved.

• Corporate Authors:

  Ford Motor Company

  Automotive Safety Office
  Dearborn, MI  United States  48126
• Authors:
  • Grush, E S
  • HENSON, S E
  • Ritterling, O R
• Publication Date: 1971-9-21

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 111 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Drivers; Fatalities; Injuries; Manual safety belts; Passive restraint systems; Restraint systems; Vehicle occupancy
• Old TRIS Terms: Passenger restraints
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00144394
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: Rept. No S-71-40
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM