virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project

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At that time, baged on the most recent usagp rate *u !4d'
which at that point were 1985 usage rates, the benefits appeared to
be low. Our m6re recent information i8 that usage rates are higher'
They've gone from an eetimated 10 percent in the rear seat to l'6
pencen[. '
That increases the level of benefrte that one could expect with
rear shoulder belts. We also have eligh v incre-ased our mtimatee
of the effectiveneee of tho€e systeme when us€d. B€cause uesge
rates are continuing to rise in the front seat, we are more oPtimistic
now I believe, tf,an we were previously, 88 to the Projectionl for
future uaase in the rear seat. The moFe usage you have, the mor€
benefrts vo:u will have.
Mrs. eoluxs. So then you 'to don't feel today that coots are extr€me.ly
disproportiotrate the possible eafety benetits on the
shoulder/ lap belts, right?
Mr. Mrr-r.in. We-have more r€@nt thinking on the subject.
Mr. Frr,nrce. If I could just add, Madam Chairman, one of the
rea'ons that stat€ment was in the rulgrnnt ing notice was, in the
oagt, the agency has been able to issue safety re4ulations which'
ilttr6ueh w-e doir't put a dolar figure on a human life or an iqiury'
we flrgired wou)d iost the publiC about $300,000 for every fatality
that our resulatione avoided.
For this -resulation, that number would heve been cloeer to 515
million for eierv fatalitv avoided. So it was about 50 times mor€
exrengive than -the tvpical rezuIation we b^ave is8ued. It ki'd of
raised our eyebrows and that's why we aaked the public for comment
on that point.
Mr. Mu,mn. Aeain, we're uot focusing eo much on the dollars as
we are the usage-the best, use of linited r,e8ource3. We have resources
within -our agency; the .na'ufacturers have limited resources
and we want-to foake sure tlut when we are dirccting
Bomebody throwh regulation to do eomething' that we're going to
eet - a eood safetv -w'e Davoff for that irrvettmeut.
If rie're not, ilmbably ought t try to channel it- into some
other oart of th" "dhiclu w-herJwe couid get a good Eafety payofr.
Mrs. CourNs. I believe in respon€€ to a queetion from Mr. Klecz.
U tttaCtou mentioned that vou at first had str advan@ notice of
;frem"Ling and you were nori in*q a secogd phase..My queetion i8'
when are you ever gorng to get to the tlPa'l rulemakln-gt
Mr. Mrirn. The-issu-ancds of a final rule would depend on the
extent and complexity of the comments that are rEceived in a
"oii". of piopo"d.t ruEmaking, but I would envision t'hat c'ould be
completed- by early or middle of next ye9r.
Mrs. Colllr.rs. I8 that your tsrgEt dat€?
M;. Mrrr.EB" That would be oir target date now, but again' that
will be dependen! in large part, on the typ€ of comments that we
"""eire. ttfe're rtquired inder our statuti-and under the APA to
fullv ---lit". address and ionsider all comments received
Cor.r"*". If it should be tlnt you reach a t€rget which is
peihtp" *m" time in the middle of nert year-another y€ar from
iow:i o* lo"g will it have taken you to let that ruIe into a fi:ral
rulemakine poeition?
Mr. MIrlrB. WeIl, it would be-
Mrs. CoLLrxs. When did you start?
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