Air Bag Update
Auto dealers and repair shops began installing air bag cutoff
switches in vehicles on January 19, 1998 for owners completing
a four-step application process through the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA reports that as of October
30, 1999 (latest report at close of publishing), 57,183 authorizations
for on-off switches have been processed for 70,275 switches (driver
side and/or passenger side). Of these authorizations, 3,226 were
in Ohio (1,613 driver side only, 783 passenger side only, 830 driver
and passenger side air bags). Actual installations reported in
Ohio through October 30, 1999 equated to 60 per million registered
vehicles. This included 290 for driver side only, 103 for passenger
side only, and 117 for both driver and passenger side air bags
for a total of 510 reported installations.
Actions leading to the cutoff switch ruling
NHTSA began issuing warnings in 1991 regarding the potential risk
of air bag injuries, especially to young children. In 1993 information
was required on car visors and in owners manuals warning drivers
to put rear-facing infant seats in the back seats of vehicles equipped
with passenger-side air bags. This information was also required
on child safety seats.
NHTSA issued final rules on new warning labels in the fall of
1996. The new rules called for highly visible warning labels in
all new cars and light trucks by early 1997. The labels contained
a clear message stating that an air bag can injure or kill children
age 12 and under, that children should always ride in the back
seat, and to never put an infant in a rear-facing child safety
seat in front of an air bag. These labels are affixed to both sides
of sun visors. In addition, new vehicles are required to have a
warning label affixed to the center of the dashboard at the time
of delivery, which may be removed only by the vehicle owner. Similar
warning labels also appear prominently on child safety seats.
Federal air bag requirements were phased in over several years.
90% of 1997 model year cars were required to be equipped with air
bags, with full compliance beginning with the 1998 model year.
Air bags were also required in all 1999 model light trucks and
vans. Due to market demand, most automakers exceeded the timetable.
Cutoff switch requirements
The overwhelming majority of Americans and their families should
not be affected by the ruling regarding the installation of on-off
air bag switches. Most injuries are preventable if drivers and
passengers buckle up, with drivers keeping at least 10 inches away
from the steering wheel and front seat passengers pushing their
seat back as far as possible.
NHTSA approves air bag on-off switches on a case-by-case basis.
The process and application form are available on NHTSA’s
Web site, www.nhtsa.gov/airbags.
Liability issue
Some repair businesses and auto dealerships had expressed reluctance
to install these switches due to potential liability. According
to NHTSA, all vehicle manufacturers who are producing on-off switches
have agreed to indemnify their dealers for all causes of action
other than negligence. Manufacturers are able to provide the specifics
of indemnification. In any case, the switch installer may require
a vehicle owner to sign a waiver that releases the business from
liability if a switch is installed. In addition not all installers
work on all makes and models. For instance, a Ford dealership may
limit on-off switch installation to Ford vehicles only.
As of January 2002 there were 45 Ohio auto dealerships and repair
shops listed on NHTSA’s Web site as facilities that install
air bag on-off switches.
New occupant protection standards
After consideration for almost two years, NHTSA passed regulations
that upgrade occupant protection standards and require more comprehensive
crash test procedures. The new rule follows a Congressional mandate
to improve protection offered by air bags while minimizing the
potential to cause harm upon deployment.
Crash tests will now require the use of dummies representing ages
one, three and five, as well as small-statured females.
The strength of the new standard is that it will require minimum
levels of protection for unbelted and belted occupants in high-speed
crashes while reducing the risk of air bag-induced injury and injury
to out-of-position occupants (predominantly unbelted). The new
standards do not guarantee that occupants will remain injury-free
when air bags inflate. Air bag warning labels affixed to sun visors
and dashboards will convey this message.
Advanced air bags meeting the new standard will be required starting
with 2004 model vehicles. Automakers will be required to certify
an increasing percentage of their fleet each year. All new vehicles
are to comply with the new air bag standard after August 2006.
Starting in 2007, an increasing percentage of all new vehicles
will be required to pass the rigid barrier crash test with belted
male dummies at 35 mph instead of 30 mph. This part of the standard
is to be fully implemented by 2010. Additional information on the
new standard is available on NHTSA’s Web site or download
IIHS’ June 17, 2000 “Status Report” on the new standards
at www.highwaysafety.org.
Air bag effectiveness
The fact remains that air bags save lives. The information below
outlines the latest statistics at close of publishing. Most air
bag fatalities are due to driver or passenger error, meaning that
the occupant was unbuckled, not properly buckled, placed incorrectly
in a car seat or, in the case of some child fatalities, a child
was sitting on the front passenger’s lap and was too close
to the instrument panel at the time of air bag deployment.
Air bag risk is minimal if a driver can sit 10–12 inches
from the steering wheel. Short-statured drivers should explore
additional options. This may include pedal extenders that allow
them to sit farther back. Contact the National Mobility Equipment
Dealers Association for information at 1-800-833-0427.
The AAA also recommends that drivers hold steering wheels at the
9 and 3 o’clock positions, rather than the 10 and 2 positions.
The wider hand position reduces the risk of injury to wrists and
forearms, or possibly driving them into the face or chest.
| Air
Bag Statistics (As of December 2001) |
- Over 118 million (56.1%) of the nearly 210 million US
cars and light trucks have driver air bags (104 million
or 50.7% reported in October 2000). More than 92 million
(44.1%) of these also have passenger air bags, up from
78 million (32.9%) in October 2000. Another 1 million new
vehicles with air bags are sold monthly.
- Deaths in frontal crashes are reduced about 26% among
drivers using safety belts and about 32% among drivers
without belts.
- Deaths in frontal crashes are reduced about 14% among
right front passengers using their belts and about 23%
among passengers without belts. However, deaths are about
34% higher than expected among child passengers younger
than 10.
- More than 7,585 people are alive today because of their
air bags (6,018 reported in October 2000), according to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- NHTSA estimates that the combination of an air bag plus
a lap/shoulder belt reduces the risk of serious head injury
by 81%, compared with a 60% reduction for belts alone.
- Since 1990, 195 deaths reportedly have been caused by
air bags inflating in low severity crashes. These deaths
include 68 drivers, 8 adult passengers (belted 98- and
64-year-old females, unbelted 85- and 57-year-old males
and unbelted 88-, 79-, 66- and 22-year-old females), 99
children between the ages of 1 and 11, and 20 infants (16
restrained in rear-facing infant seats and 4 on adult passengers’ laps).
- Of the 99 children killed by passenger air bags, 79 are
believed to have been unbelted, 1 was sharing a lap belt
with a front seat passenger, 12 are believed to have been
using lap belts only and 5 were thought to be using lap/shoulder
belts. Belt use is unknown for 2 children. Most crashes
involved pre-impact braking and/or children sitting on
front passenger laps, making them close to the dashboard
upon air bag deployment.
- Of the 68 drivers killed by air bags (14 males, 54 females),
44 are believed to have been unbelted and 23 are believed
to have been using lap/shoulder belts (5 of these may have
misused their belts, 2 were unconscious and slumped over
their steering wheels so they were on top of their air
bags, 2 used the shoulder belt only and 1 used the lap
belt only). Belt use is unknown for the other driver.
Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Updates available at: www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags/stats.htm
|
 |
An August 2001 National Safety Council
report found a significant decline in the number of children
killed by air bags over the last five years. Government data
indicates that 35 children were killed by air bags in 1996,
when about 22 million vehicles were equipped with passenger-side
air bags. In 2000, there were three times as many vehicles
with such air bags while the number of children killed had
fallen to 18. The report says that the rate of air bag deaths
for adults and children has fallen by 80% over the last five
years.
(The NY Times, 8/30/01) |
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