CURRENT MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS AND PROPOSED REVISIONS

INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT ARE CURRENT MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT PREVENTION STANDARDS: THE 100 SERIES, CRASH PROTECTION STANDARDS: THE 200 SERIES, AND THE POST-CRASH PROTECTION STANDARDS: THE 300 SERIES. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION HAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED ITS REVISED PROGRAM PLAN FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, WHICH OVERHAULS AND SIMPLIFIES THE REGULATIONS. THE PLAN CALLS FOR A COMPLETE SHIFT OVER TO PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT SET GOALS (SUCH AS OCCUPANT SURVIVABILITY IN A 30-MILE-AN-HOUR BARRIER CRASH) WITHOUT SPECIFYING TERMS OF HARDWARE OR HOW THE GOAL IS TO BE MET. EXISTING DESIGN STANDARDS THAT REQUIRE A CERTAIN TYPE OF EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS SEAT BELTS WITH SPECIFIED STRENGTH ANCHORAGES, WILL BE PHASED OUT AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. GENERALLY, BOTH INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT PREFER PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, SINCE THEY TEND TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION TO MEET THE GOALS ESTABLISHED, WHILE DESIGN STANDARDS TEND TO "LOCK IN" THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.

• Corporate Authors:

  Cum Regul Effects Cost Auto Transp

  ,    
• Publication Date: 1972-2-28

Media Info

• Pagination: p. Ii-b1-i
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Smith, Wilbur & Associates
  • Publisher: Smith, Wilbur & Associates

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Motor vehicles; Safety; Standards
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223785
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 17 1972 12:00AM