Status Report, Vol. 28: 1993

Volume 28, Number 14 • December 20, 1993

North Carolina shows how to boost belt use with enforcement, publicity

Survey shows popular support for belt program in North Carolina

Three who were in crashes say belts saved them from death, injury

Hybrid III dummy finally will be required in frontal tests to meet safety standards, NHTSA announces

Many fatally injured bicyclists are found to have consumed alcohol

Drivers rate their own skills above average and say they drive safely

Volume 28, Number 13 • November 27, 1993

Sobriely checkpoints can deter alcohol-impaired driving, especially when police use passive alcohol sensors

The 21-40 age group shows little progress in reducing alcohol-impaired driving

Link between drinking and impairment is confusing, surveys show

Antilock brakes for medium and heavy trucks are finally the subject of rulemaking at NHTSA

FHWA shouldn't allow insulin-using truckers, new evidence confirms

NHTSA budget for 1994 cuts into funding for research and analysis

Volume 28, Number 12 • October 21, 1993

"Hurt never stops:" one ordinary day of crashes, one brutal toll of crash deaths

Summary of the 107 crash deaths on October 21, 1992

Volume 28, Number 11 • October 9, 1993

Close study of injuries from airbags yields concern, not alarm

Lives are saved -- evidence piles up about airbag effectiveness

Plaudits come easily from people who've been in airbag crashes, survey finds

Complaints received by the Office of Defects Investigation

All automobile airbags aren't alike -- they differ a lot in terms of design

From case files: crashes are severe but injuries to occupants' upper bodies aren't

More case files: injuries from inflating airbags are nearly all inconsequential

Caution: airbags aren't cure-alls for highway deaths and injuries

1994 car models equipped with airbags

Airbags in perspective: 'outlier' crashes get attention, not whole story

Volume 28, Number 10 • August 21, 1993

North Carolina safety belt program yields first results

Freightliner Corporation makes antilock brakes standard

Truckers who use insulin will get licensing waiver, FHWA decides

Lots of names are floated for top post at NHTSA, but nobody is picked

Radar drones slow traffic at highway maintenance/construction sites

Around the World covers speed in Greal Britain, death toll in Japan

Volume 28, Number 9 • July 24, 1993

1992 motor vehicle deaths are lowest since 1961, and deaths are down in virtually every vehicle category

State-by-state counts of motor vehicle deaths show wide variations

Alcohol involvement in motor vehicle crash deaths hits 11-year low among youngest drivers

Saturday is worst day of week for motor vehicle crash deaths

Volume 28, Number 8 • July 3, 1993

65 mph speed limits haven't turned us into a nation of law-abiders

Speed compliance formula for states set to be changed

Rural interstate deaths continue higher on roads posted at 65 mph

NAFTA includes some sticky transportation issues yet to be resolved

Density of vehicles affects insurance injury, collision, theft losses

Child restraint recalls aren't being heeded by most car seat owners

Volume 28, Number 7 • June 5, 1993

Risks of motor vehicle crash fire aren't being treated with equal seriousness by the federal government, depending on the source of the fire risk

NHTSA plan for Hybrid IIIs is OK, but Institute objects to substituting neck injury criterion for HIC in some tests

Plan to improve head protection in interior impacts also gets generally favorable reviews

Automobile theft results for 1990-92 models are released

Volume 28, Number 6 • May 15, 1993

California: belt use rates are up now that police can cite for belt offense alone

North Carolina: first state to launch long-term program to increase safety belt use

Two states become #43 and #44 to enact safety belt use laws

NHTSA discussing idea of conducting national belt survey

Safety belt use was a lot higher last year in Canadian provinces than in the United States; enforcement differences are key reason

Volume 28, Number 5 • April 24, 1993

Arizona helmet legislation fails as state official cites incompetent research at key hearing

Arizona hospital's review of cyclist injuries isn't a study, researchers say

Around the World focuses on a mandatory bicycle helmet use law in Australia, belt use among rear-seat passengers in England, and more

Texas helmet law proves effective in reducing cyclist injuries

Commercial drivers license manual revised to correct downhill braking

Volume 28, Number 4 • April 3, 1993

Daylight savings time has safety benefits, new Institute research shows

NTSB urges states to adopt measures to curb teen traffic deaths

Truck-pedestrian collisions studied by Institute researchers

Do more on truck conspicuity, Institute tells NHTSA

Special signs slow trucks on freeway ramps, Institute finds

Deer-motor vehicle collisions are most frequent in spring and fall

Moose pose bigger risk than deer

Catastrophic injury costs are increasing 20 percent annually

Volume 28, Number 3 • March 13, 1993

Shell game greets consumers trying to pick cars with better bumpers

Even the best is bad: results in detail of crash tests at 5 mph

Car redesign doesn't mean bumpers that do a better job

Damage repair costs, 5 mph crash tests, midsize four-door models

One good reason to require 5 mph bumpers: huge improvement in damage resistance, plus three more equally good reasons

State laws may be helping consumers to compare bumpers; but automakers may be claiming better bumpers than tests show

Volume 28, Number 2 • February 6, 1993

Classifying urban crashes is first step toward reducing them

Daytime running lights now permitted by new NHTSA rule

Canadian data show effectiveness of daytime running lights

FHWA heeds comments not to increase driving hours for truckers

Don't allow truckers using insulin behind the wheel, Institute tells FHWA

Downsizlng can increases overall losses, insurance data show

Lowest insurance collision losses are posted by GM, Chrysler vans

Fire risk in GM pickups prompts opening of NHTSA engineering analysis

Volume 28, Number 1 • January 16, 1993

Institute dedicates new Vehicle Research Center

Why the VRC exists