BENEFIT STUDY OF EIGHT VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONFIGURATIONS

THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO ESTIMATE THE PERFORMANCE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF SEVERAL OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, AND IDENTIFY SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS THAT ARE BOTH CONSISTENT WITH CUSTOMER INTERESTS AND PROPOSED LEGISLATION. THE PAPER PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A STUDY THAT ESTIMATES THE PASSENGER CAR OCCUPANT LIVES SAVED AND INJURIES PREVENTED (PROJECTED TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL) AS AFFECTED BY THREE VARIABLES, NAMELY, LIGHT OCCUPANT RESTRAINT CONFIGURATIONS; RESTRAINT USAGE; AND THE TIMING OF IMPLEMENTATION. THE LAST VARIABLE ACCOUNTS FOR THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN USING SYSTEMS AND WAITING FOR NEW SYSTEMS TO ENTER THE VEHICLE POPULATION OVER A 10-14 YEAR PERIOD. THE EIGHT SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS CHOSEN FOR ANALYSIS ARE LISTED. AN EARLIER INVESTIGATION STUDIED THE LIFE-SAVING EFFECTIVENESS OF LAP BELTS, LAP-SHOULDER BELTS, AIR CUSHION RESTRAINTS FOR ALL OCCUPANTS, AND AIR CUSHION PLUS LAP BELT FOR ALL OCCUPANTS. THE METHOD TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF LIVES SAVED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL IS ILLUSTRATED, AND COMPARISONS ARE MADE WITH THE RESULTS OF THE EARLIER STUDY. ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL FOR EACH OF THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ANY SCHEME WHICH WILL INCREASE LAP SHOULDER BELT USAGE WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE PAYOFF. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT AIR CUSHION SYSTEMS BE EVALUATED BY MAKING THEM EXTRA COST OPTIONS IN A LIMITED RANGE OF VEHICLES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THEIR TRUE RATHER THAN ESTIMATED, LIFE-SAVING AND INJURY MITIGATION POTENTIAL.

• Corporate Authors:

  Automotive Safety Seminar Proc

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Scheel, J W
• Publication Date: 1973-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Analysis; Benefits; Fatalities; Injuries; Laws; Manual safety belts; Passengers; Safety equipment; Shape; Variables; Vehicle occupants; Vehicle safety; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Configuration
• Old TRIS Terms: Air cushion; Projection; Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00222268
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 11 1974 12:00AM