Status Report, Vol. 21: 1986

Volume 21, Number 14 • December 13, 1986

Extending credits for air bags

Belt use law: success is tied to type of enforcement permitted

Researchers challenge NTSB claims about lap belt danger

Rear seat belts: Twice NHTSA has considered and rejected a requirement for lap-shoulder belts at rear outboard seating positions

Rolls-Royce seeks air bag ruling to meet restraint production requirements for 1987 model year during the 1988 model year

Texas tops the nation in use of seat belts

Automatic belts are key to Cressida's lower injury rate

Revamped BMCS to concentrate on better enforcement

National standards to be set for bus and truck drivers

Sobriety standard: drivers of heavy trucks and buses may face a rule to bring them into compliance with the same BAC limits of flight and train crews

Car size influences salvage rates, HLDI reports

Two states repeal belt use statutes; court upholds law

Drinking age: US Supreme Court to hear arguments challenging the constitutionality of a statute requiring states to adopt 21 as the minimum purchase age

Institute urges NHTSA to reconsider convertible exemption

Researchers find high rate of injury connected with ATVs

Volume 21, Number 13 • November 8, 1986

Air bags in '88 models: the pace picks up

Air bag orders for Ford

Institute petitions BMCS to require tachographs

Autobahns vs. U.S. interstates

GM's steering wheel air bag system is making a comeback at inland

Ford and GM: contrasting styles

Adrian Lund is named director of a newly created human and environmental factors group within the Institute's research department

Automakers step up development of air bag systems

HLDI lists '86 models with best and worst collision results

Motorcycles and mopeds: same fatality rate

Institute awarded certificate of merit from the International Committee on Alcohol, Drugs, and Traffic Safety

Legislators urged to tighten their drunk driving laws

Volume 21, Number 12 • October 4, 1986

'Active seat belt and air bag is the ultimate'

Automatic restraint ruling 'can be expected to stand'

Toughest belt use law proves to be the most effective

Haddon scholarship

Large American cars fare best in HLDI report

Institute petition on truck brakes wins wide support

Landmark legislation praised for reducing traffic death rate

Nationwide endorses Institute petition for daytime lights

Trauma study: a review of data

Revoking licenses: Oregon's practice of revoking licenses of repeat offenders apparently limits the number of subsequent collision and violations

Volume 21, Number 11 • September 9, 1986

'No magic solution' says President Johnson on highway safety

Highway death rate cut more than half since safety acts

A commemoration

Saving lives at 55

Haddon Matrix: eliminating the mumbo jumbo

The FHWA programs

How Congress provided a national safety program with vehicle standards

The evolution of highway safety grant programs

Risk compensation?

Safety standards benefit motorists

Volume 21, Number 10 • August 23, 1986

Canada proposes new vehicles be equipped with daytime running lights

285 road deaths averted in four states with seat belt use laws

Hazardous materials regulations: 'inadequate and needlessly confusing'

NHTSA releases crash test results for ten 1986 cars

Despite crash evidence, council backs greater use of twin rigs

BMCS to begin safety review of nation's interstate motor carriers

DOT says Danforth bill, backed by industry and labor, is not needed

Support for helmet laws

Ford to add combination belts in rear seats

Study shows rollover fatalities closely tied to vehicles' stability

NHTSA approves use of Hybrid III dummy

Survey reveals Michigan belt use is 44 percent

New law covers children in pickups

Volume 21, Number 9 • July 26, 1986

Rural states consider dangers of rigid roadside mailboxes

Based on flawed data, drinking age study draws false conclusion

Most of Institute's petition granted in truck brake notice

Air bags: 'I'm here to tell you they really do the job'

Bumper performance for 1986 models

NHTSA will test new national driver register

Higher standards may be set for vehicles owned by the states

Elmira film: how to make belt laws work

Virgina legislature toughens up two of its transportation laws in the year's session

Passive alcohol sensors do not infringe on constitutional rights

Dole asked to campaign for helmet use laws across the country

Steps urged to reduce danger of toxic spills

Seat belt use laws: 4 more states enact laws

Volume 21, Number 8 • June 28, 1986

Ford petition would allow air bags on a large number of cars

European models have worst theft record

Seat belt use rates climb in Texas, but decline in New Jersey

Easing phase-in could save more lives

GM improves rear seat belts

Two states likely to lose 10 percent of federal highway funds

Study of fleet vans shows convex mirror helps reduce crashes

NHTSA urged to require daytime running lights

Bill would require better protection in side impact crashes

Correction

Volume 21, Number 7 • June 7, 1986

'Children in crashes' comes to grips with proper use of restraints

NCBA backs air bags

Nine of 23 new cars go undamaged in 5 mph bumper crash tests

Preliminary study shows drop in injury claim frequency in NY and NJ

Study analyzes spinal cord injuries

New tire ratings

Outlining trucks with reflective tape reduces crashes, DOT reports

NHTSA turns down seat belt petition

Helmet laws supported

Suspension does reduce crash involvement of convicted drunk drivers

Wide variation seen in handling of drinking drivers

Correction

NHTSA releases crash test results of four 1986 cars

Volume 21, Number 6 • May 17, 1986

Elmira, NY: belt use reaches 80 percent with publicity, enforcement

Institute researchers say 'risk compensation' theory doesn't hold up

British trucks with stronger rear guards do make a difference new study reports

NHTSA should consider the impact its fuel economy standard will have on automobile safety, says the Institute

Each year car crashes account for half of Virginia's brain injuries

Transport Canada to stay with 5 mph rule

Consumers Union seeks return to 5 mph bumper for all new cars

NHTSA agrees to relay requests for abstracts to states electronically

West Virginia's legislature rejected a seat belt use law for adults, but has improved its child restraint use law

The best location for brake lights? Where eyes focus

Most high school pupils report drinking alcoholic beverages by age 15

National safety board urges uniform written and driving tests for truck drivers

Over 80 percent favor five mph bumper

Court rules NHTSA did not act unlawfully in transmission case

$500 tax proposed for 1990 model cars without automatic restraints

Volume 21, Number 5 • April 26, 1986

Drinking age laws: Minnesota and West Virginia will raise the minimum age of purchase to 21

Belt use up but less than half of Californians obey seat belt use law

Air bag deploys in crash and Aetna auditor counts his blessings

Myths and misconceptions about 55 mph speed limit

Majority of Americans still support national 55 mph speed limit

NHTSA's traffic safety budget

$127 million sought for highway grants

Air bags installed in government fleet cars have worked well in a growing number of crashes, NHTSA reports

Economic policies may 'tempt truck drivers to drive too fast, too long'

Truck crashes for first 8 months of '85 are 6% higher than all of '84

Most adult americans favor national licensing for truck drivers

10 states face loss of federal highway funds over drinking age laws

Belt laws enacted

Young drivers found to be underrepresented in drunk driver arrests

NHTSA recalls top 5.6 million in 1985

Volume 21, Number 4 • April 12, 1986

Seat belt use claims: some too good to be true

NY analysis indicates 9% drop in crash deaths

New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests: one measure of safety

The NCAP tests -- three types of injury measured

History of NCAP (New Car Assessment Program)

NHTSA to retain its oblique crash test

Truck brakes notice of rulemaking proposing elimination of BMCS provision allowing truckers to disconnect their front brakes

Volume 21, Number 3 • March 22, 1986

Dole agrees to exclude California in count of seat belt use laws

Let automakers' own tests be used to rate bumpers, says Institute

Survey indicates more teenage drivers obey explicit curfew laws

Insurance fleets to order 2,500 autos equipped with air bags

Reinstated helmet law trims fatalities and injuries in Louisiana

Crash protection

A checklist of selected drinking and driving countermeasures adopted by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico

Seat belt petition

Study evaluates effects of raising drinking age

Transportation industry warned: alcohol, drug abuse must be stopped

New England drivers favor mandatory seat belt use laws

Volume 21, Number 2 • February 22, 1986

Large trucks should have front brakes

GM to introduce air bags

Volvo backs daytime lights

Despite its own findings, FHWA seeks to promote use of longer vehicles

Roadside inspections reveal increase in truck and driver violations

Success of British belt requirement leads to permanent law

Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager fare best

Drinking age raised

Wide disparity exists between civilian and military brain injuries

Seat belt use rates decrease in Michigan

Enforcement is needed to reverse declining seat belt use in NY

Advantages of stronger bumpers show up in GM collision claims

Chrysler seeks to block GSA from purchasing 2,000 cars with air bags

Saab's new sensor

Volume 21, Number 1 • February 1, 1986

Porsche, Institute seek credit for cars with passenger side air bags

Seat belt use varies greatly in Texas, Institute survey shows

Seat belt campaign

Will long list of traffic violations end at Washington Monument?

Ohio passes belt law

Transportation department urged to clear way for daytime running lights

Two insurers offer new discounts for cars with automatic restraints

Voluntary registration of tires fails to win over the independents

GSA to buy 2,000 cars equipped with air bags or automatic belts this year

Institute advises NHTSA driver register plan could still be improved

Media plays key role in campaign against alcohol-impaired drivers

Truck legislation is introduced

GAO to analyze studies on minimum drinking age laws