Status Report, Vol. 18: 1983

Volume 18, Number 18 • December 19, 1983

Auto insurers advise DOT officials to stay with current rule

Poll shows 9 out of 10 car buyers support passive restraints

Automakers push for belts use laws

Ford urges 'field test' of automatic restraints in 2 million automobiles

NHTSA raises some new questions on restraint benefits

Survivors talk: the pain and the price of head and spinal injuries

Traffic deaths going up, averaging 3,700 per month

Lifetime injured press for air bags

Anatomy of a head injury

Volume 18, Number 17 • November 22, 1983

HLDI completes study on cost of repairing very expensive cars

DOT finally approves added protective coating on U.S. windshields

NHTSA rejects petition to require seat belts in school buses

Institute urges FHWA to defer to states in trucking route disputes

NHTSA publishes safety guide on the use of safety belts and child safety seats

U.S. Senate confirms nomination of Steed

Lower light would decrease visibility and increase risk

Quoted without comment

REPRINT: 'Detroit and seat belts' from Automotive News

"On Target' IIHS response to article printed in Automotive News

Schedule update on automatic restraint hearings

REPRINT: 'End the air bag scandal' from the St. Louis Dispatch

New booklet answers questions on air bags

Volume 18, Number 16 • November 7, 1983

Study finds serious flaws in GM's marketing approach to air bags

Dole lauds air bags, but fails to implement automatic restraint rule

DOT rule making schedule

Senator calls decision to restudy air bags 'the ultimate stall'

Dingell bill promotes mandatory seat belt laws

DOT issues 20-page document on amending FMVSS 208 and the various the options

Institute refutes liquor industry claims about drinking age

Researchers link drop in traffic fatalities to decline in economy

Volume 18, Number 15 • October 17, 1983

Auto industry must add rear-mounted light on all '86 model cars

Lawsuit is dropped when NHTSA abandons controversial program

Bumper alternatives, U.S. government failed to consider available technology, says Center for Auto Safety

FHWA studies possible use of truck 'trains'

FHWA details its plan to open up interstate for bigger trucks

REPRINT: 'Death by deregulation' from the Washington Post

Side marker lamps prevent 106,000 crashes annually, report shows

Study finds helmets could have averted many bicyclists' deaths

GEICO to offer its Virginia policyholders safety seats for kids

New rule would clear tot's safety seat for both cars and planes

Traffic deaths drop in July

Volume 18, Number 14 • October 4, 1983

HLDI study shows U.S.-made cars have lower injury frequency

New book on injuries urges built-in controls

New cars may look alike, but vary greatly in protecting passengers

U.S. makes a 500 percent mistake on cost of repairing weaker bumper

GSA will require 5 mph bumpers on 12,000 new vehicles

REPRINT: 'As a practical matter, why must lives be lost?' from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Secretary Dole proposes new agency to handle traffic safety programs

Senate panel advances air bag proposal

Volume 18, Number 13 • September 20, 1983

Danforth assails roadblocks to air bags

Senate hearing told new Ford model bumpers save on repair costs

Steed nomination as administrator of NHTSA

After long delay, NHTSA moves on test procedure for bumper ratings

FDA to investigate any drug claiming to minimize inebriation

National coalition formed to push for automatic crash protection

Robert Tiernan, Senate hearing witness, testifies on the tragic death of his son and how air bags would have saved his life

Passives timetable: two views

NHTSA calls suspension of restraint rule 'procedural precaution'

REPRINT: 'Time to act on air bags' from The New York Times

REPRINT: 'Air bags: there oughta be a law' from the Washington Post

Volume 18, Number 12 • August 16, 1983

New issue emerges in 'passives' ruling

Justice sues General Motors over X-Car defects

Lawsuit dropped after FHWA amends criteria to improve road safety

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Week

Only two of seven 1983 model cars tested 'pass' 35 mph crash

Screening urged for truckers hauling hazardous materials

Council to analyze benefits gained from 55 mph speed limit

Rear-ending standards for bumpers

Medical data and injuries

Wirth: failure to fix the Ford transmission cost 50 additional lives

Bill carries with it strong language for passives, bumpers

School districts may be liable for injuries sustained in school van crashes

NHTSA warned funding of advisory committee meetings to be watched closely

Chronology highlights major dates in GM X-body case

Agency guidelines not followed in GM X-Car probe

Volume 18, Number 11 • July 27, 1983

Dole urged to handle restraint issue expeditiously

Study finds trauma is a leading cause of death, injury

Six states will try retrofitted air bags

Carbon monoxide seeps into NJ ambulances

REPRINT: 'On air bags: the court cries 'shame'' from The New York Times

Editorial response from Ford to the New York Times article: 'Air bags need a major, 'real world' tryout'

IIHS response to Ford: 'air bags are the best possible means'

NHTSA accused of failing to investigate vehicle defect claims

Public opinion grows for tougher policies on drunken driving

Cost of crash parts triples sticker price

Senate subcommittee considers bill to discourage car thieves

Volume 18, Number 10 • July 7, 1983

Supreme Court rejects NHTSA's 'passives' action

Automobile second only to weapons as tools of violence

Collision claims climb for 83' models with weakened bumpers

House passes 1984 NHTSA funding bill

Glass claims high for some GM models

40 states now have child restraint laws

GSA calls for bids on cars with air bags

Joint NHTSA-industry work attacked in court

What's next in the automatic restraint situation, as anticipated by attorneys in the case

Views of the Supreme Court decision

City to impound cars used by drunk drivers

HLDI finds more large cars in 1983 models

Ford boasts Topaz has 5 mph bumpers

Volume 18, Number 9 • June 21, 1983

Danger seen in gap between truck, auto braking requirements

Decline in auto crash fatalities tied to economy

Regulators disagree over need for more strict truck rules

Government, consumer spokesmen oppose regulatory reform

Military plans attack on drunk driving

'User fee' on alcohol suggested to finance drunk-driver costs

Ford wins approval of Securiflex tests

Volume 18, Number 8 • June 2, 1983

Bumper film shown on nine-city tour

Corvette, Porsche have worst theft experience

Insurance groups argue for 5 mph bumpers on safety, cost grounds

Official position still undecided on alcohol program incentives

Update: List of states with child restraint laws grow to 40

Research casts doubt on NHTSA belt-use theory related to car size

Research shows low bumpers cut injuries

Quoted without comment: Benefits of automatic protection

Volume 18, Number 7 • May 12, 1983

Peck successor yet to be named at NHTSA

HLDI data show Subaru 5 mph bumpers cut collision losses

State protests bring some changes in list of big truck- highways

Committee chairman calls GAO belt use report 'inconclusive'

Auto makers support windshield rulemaking

Supreme Court is told restraint rescission violated DOT mandate

Sudden '82 drop in highway deaths creates mystery

Volume 18, Number 6 • April 22, 1983

Senator Danforth introduces omnibus highway safety bill

Arizona company wins NHTSA contract for retrofitting air bags

NHTSA estimates 1980 motor vehicle crash costs at $57 billion

NHTSA completes 1982 model crash tests

'New car' testing lags

Brake rule credited with preventing crashes

Supreme Court to hear arguments on cancellation of automatic restraint standard

'Car book' is again published privately

New IIHS bumper film is available

GSA sign agreement for air bag fleet

Opinion divided on tough alcohol laws

CB coalition against drunk driving urged

Update: Six states and District of Columbia adopt child restraint use legislation

Volume 18, Number 5 • March 25, 1983

NHTSA proposes rule to allow Securiflex windshield use in U.S.

Former congressmen say bumper rollback exceeded authority

Why doesn't auto industry promote safety? Senator asks

Mercedes outlines air bag plans at Senate hearing

Researchers study housefire deaths

Committee questions NHTSA performance in defect studies

Volume 18, Number 4 • March 8, 1983

Federal rulemaking languishes on heavy truck safety issues

Volume 18, Number 3 • March 1, 1983

Weaker bumpers allow heavy damage

Insurers predict rise in auto crash costs

Group challenges road work criteria

Automatic protection case arguments filed in Supreme Court

Grant criteria for state alcohol incentive grants announced by NHTSA

Supreme Court rules blood test refusal admissible in trial

Auto makers suggest warning sticker change

IIHS report more multipiece rim cases

Volume 18, Number 2 • February 1, 1983

Mercedes plans air bags in '84 models

An Institute comment

Institute stresses variations in utility vehicle experience

Standard cuts fire toll in automobile crashes

The long road to fuel system integrity, a chronology

GM anti-theft option found to lower losses

Consumer group finds weaker bumpers on many 1983 models

NHTSA questions X-Body brake performance

New officers named for IIHS, HLDI boards

Free child restraints reported effective

Volume 18, Number 1 • January 18, 1983

General Motors plans Securiflex windshield test in rental fleets

NHTSA proposes utility vehicle warning sticker

NHTSA funds are cut 10 percent from '82

Congress curbs NHTSA belt-use program

Highway funds bill sets new road safety guidelines

HLDI lists leaders in collision losses

NHTSA study finds three utility vehicles most dangerous

Defect study into Jeep CJ-5 performance rejected