Safety Belts, Airbags and Child Restraints: Research to Address Emerging Policy Questions

摘要

In 1986, the Federal Government began requiring that automobiles satisfy the passive restraint requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. Even as these safety enhancements to passenger vehicles have become requirements, many states have begun insisting that motorists wear the safety belts provided in their vehicles. Most states (34 in 1989) and the District of Columbia now require motorists to wear safety belts, and all states have passed legislation requiring child restraint use. The potential benefits of these developments surpass virtually all other highway safety measures and are making a major contribution to public health and safety. The Special Report presents the results of a TRB-initiated pilot study that was aimed at determining whether a major policy evaluation would be timely and identifying pending and emerging policy issues, reviewing current research, and recommending additional research to answer emerging policy questions. Occupant restraints, a subset and fundamental element of occupant protection, are the focus of the project. Issues such as new developments in occupant packaging and side impact attenuation, although important in their own right, were beyond the scope of the pilot study.