virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project
virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project
virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project
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93<br />
TlstIiloNl OF llARoLo e. saKAvAN, Esq.<br />
BEFORE A fiEARINC OI' TIII:<br />
GOVEFNM'NT ACTT V I TI ES ANO TRANS PORI'A'IoN SUTTCOMXI'I"TI]I,,<br />
HOLISt COVEItNI'ENT OPCkAI ION5 aCtf'lMllllI<br />
INTO<br />
'SEAT 8EL't SAFET!: NHTSA OVERSIGfla'<br />
JUNE 2i, r9e8<br />
Madan cha i.ronan, ellbers:<br />
I aF 8arold a. sakayan, of the Iae firh of Hargolrs.<br />
sakayan r 8oltr,!th offices in the oisLrtct oI co!umbia<br />
aod ite stare of Maryland. He are currenllv rePres€nring<br />
a numbe! of persons tho have sus!ained serious or faral<br />
iDluries from rear seat IaP bells and at your invrtairoo<br />
,ill address that rssue.<br />
You have hea.d irom M!, Kelley and Hr. Coben on Elle<br />
oeDe!al nature of the problen and noe I vould Iiie !o<br />
;ake iL a lrttle mor€ pe!sooal by 9!vrnq vou some real<br />
ro!1d exanples of r(a9rc aod u..ecessarv rnlu!ies aod<br />
deaths that are lesultrqg f!om an unsusPeciiog public<br />
heeding the adhonition lo Buckle Up<br />
First, ny Pelcep!ion is lhat NHTSA has failed to provide<br />
leadership in the area of autonotive safetv and the niniFum<br />
perlor!.ance sraDdalds kno*n as the Federal l'1oLo!<br />
vehicie safety slandalds (Fl'wss) have becone the maximun<br />
which the indus!ry tiLL deliver beca\rse there rs noone<br />
thaL is demanding Fole of themr eveD lhen Llley kDo'<br />
The nissioD of NHTSA should be le-defined in cLea! and<br />
un€quivocat !€rhs so that lhey, lhe industly and the<br />
DubIic ailI undelstand that NllTsA bas aD rmPortant<br />
ieadership role and is expecled to be oDt front on<br />
safety rss'res.<br />
The issue of rear s€at belts is a c.lassic illustralton<br />
of everything that is {roDg with the Presenl svslen and<br />
how i! could be easity changed.<br />
The seat belt syslem for the-!ea. oulboald seatinq<br />
oosi!iods ,as detited in l'968. Ihe nanufacture!s 'ete<br />
;iveD a choice ot using ejthe! a lap belt onlv or a<br />
;houlder/1ap combiDa!ion' Every U.S. sanufaclurer chose<br />
rh€ lap belt onrY.<br />
In 1972 NIITSA directed thal anchorage points !o! rear<br />
shautCe!,/L:a bel,t systers he ircr;ll-d i. all dohestic<br />
cars presuniury because lh€v felt lhe iDduslry tould<br />
volunta!i IY make th€ change.<br />
:<br />
..1 ,:<br />
,<br />
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