virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project

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have it around your stomach, it's liable to cause harm. I think they
emphasized that as well.
Eut let me ask this question: I)o you have enough data to accurately
measure the beneFrts of a &point belt in the rear seat?
Mi. Mrr.lun. We don't presently have defrnitive data on the sub
ject,
-werb for the simple -small reason that up until the last year or two, ther€
rebtively numbers bf vehicles in t'he United States
eouipped with rear seat lap/ehoulder belts.
ttti. NmrsoN. What about other countries?
Mr. Ml-r,rn. Other countries have had those systems longer, but
they tend not tn have as good record keeping systems as we do, and
occirpancy rates in the rear seats tend to be pretty low We believe
there is an added benefrt, based on our experience with front seat
shoulder belts.
Mr. Nrnr.soN. If you don't have enough data yet, at what time do
you - think you'll gLt enough data to make a definitive judgment?
Mr. Mrlirn. Well, we're currently proceeding in the rulemaking.
The data collection to docurnent effectively-to move from estimates
into after-the-fact analysis-will probably take another 2 to
3 -Mr. vears. It will depend in large part upon usage.
NruIsoN. Iiow did you determine that they would be suffrcientiy
effective in reducing fatalities to justify your making a rule
to require them-if you dou't have enough data?
Mr. Mrr,r-nn. We have some anecdotal data, and we do have the
experience in the front geats where there is demonstrable improve
ment. Also the crash t€sts we conduct show that in mat cases, although
not necessarily every caae, but with a welldesiSxred lap/
shoulder belt system ii: the rear, it will provide added protection as
compared to a welldeaiened lapbelt.
Mi. Nrnrson. i could-ask thi seme series of questions about the
automatic harness in the front seat. Do you have data indicating
that that's better than the voluntary syst€m, other than the fact
that in the voluntarv. onlv 42 percent uae them, whereas with an
automatic svst€m. th-ev'd dl have to? Is that the only basis?
Mr. Mn lin. That's ihe only benefit to automatic eafety belts in
the fmnt seats, to increase uiage rather than to increase the level
of protection that's provided. airbags in the front- seat will provide
added protection, piovided the occupant remembers to wear the
safety belt in the first place.
Mi. NrrIsoN. I have a number of other questions. I'd like to
submit them in writing and I'd appreciate your ansvers L€t me
ask one that I asked th6 previous p-anel. You've mentioned yourteU
that you have to look at cost and benefrt analysis'
Were you justified having concentrated so much on the front
sest. sinie 90- percent of th; injuries occur there? Did you sort of
ignore the bacli sest for all those years? Were you justified in doing
so?
Mr. Mnlsn I wouldn't say that we have entirely igrrored the
rear 6eat, but we did focus mct of our efforts on the front seat,
becauee the front eeat is where the overwhelmiag mqiority of the
occupanta and the deaths and the injuries are. The other reason
whv-the focus on the rear seat has been slower in coming, is be
cause usage rates have been so low in the rear seats.
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