Big Three Carmakers Respond to NHTSA Air Bag Plan

11/26/96

GM, Ford, and Chrysler released statements responding to the NHTSA's new plan to improve air bag technology and reduce air bag dangers. Here are the statements from all three Detroit carmakers.

Kyle Johnson, Manager of Safety Issues for GM's Corporate Communications Staff:

General Motors supports the objective of the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in proposing revisions to the occupant
protection standard to allow auto manufacturers to depower air bags to
help reduce the risk of severe or fatal injuries to children and small
stature adults caused by air bag inflations.

As previously announced, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile,
Pontiac-GMC, and Saturn will begin mailing air bag warning letters to
consumers in December. These letters will contain the warning labels
mandated today by the NHTSA for future production vehicles.

Customers can immediately reduce their risk of injuries from air bag
inflation by taking the following actions:

  
 Every adult should be properly belted, with both lap AND shoulder
belts. Air bags help protect occupants in frontal crashes only. Safety
belts help protect in all types of crashes, and help keep occupants
properly positioned in the event of an air bag deployment.
  
 Driver seats should be moved as far back as practical while still
being able to control the vehicle properly.
  
 Separate passenger seats should be moved as far back as possible.
  
 Check vehicle owner's manual and the instructions provided with
your child safety seat for correct information on the installation and
use of child safety seats.
  
 It's safer for children 12 and under to ride buckled up in a rear
seat;
  
 Infants should be secured in rear-facing child safety seats and
should NEVER be placed in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger
side air bag;
  
 Small children should be secured in a rear seat in child safety
seats approved for their age and size;
  
 Older children should ride properly buckled up, and they too are
safer in a rear seat;
  
 Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind them.

Helen Petrauskas, Ford Vice President, Environmental and Safety Engineering:

Ford will work with NHTSA and others tirelessly to introduce
effective, depowered air bags into production as soon as possible. We
also will be talking to and working with our customers to help them
better understand the air bag proposals and so that we understand
their concerns and preferences on the immediate issues. At the same
time, Ford will continue to look to the future by maintaining its
determined research efforts on "smart air bags."

Chrysler Corporation:

Chrysler supports the immediate adoption of the most effective method
of de-powering air bags -- one that will allow all automakers to move
quickly and make these lifesaving devices even safer for everyone. At
Chrysler, the engineering work to de-power air bags based on the
proposal which includes a sled test for unbelted occupants is well
underway. Under this proposal, we can begin installing modified air
bags by next fall. With the industry producing one million air
bag-equipped vehicles every 30 days, time is of the essence.

Chrysler also supports NHTSA's call for more stringent warning labels
and will soon begin notifying its owners on proper air bag safety.

While we need to carefully study all the details of NHTSA's proposed
actions, we are concerned that two of these actions may undermine the
public's confidence in air bags as effective supplemental safety
systems.  Specifically, we are concerned that overemphasis of on-off
switches and air bag deactivation may send the wrong message to the
vast majority of Americans who benefit from proper seat belt use and
air bags.

The right message all of us must send is: Air bags in conjunction with
proper seat belt use or other restraint systems save lives. For
children that means to properly restrain them in an appropriate child
seat, booster seat or safety belts and, whenever possible, they should
be placed in the back seat. They are safer in the back seat, even in
vehicles without air bags. And NEVER put a child in a rear facing
infant seat in the front seat.

Read the NHTSA's description of its new plan.

Read the Automotive Occupant Restraint Council's Response to the new NHTSA air bag plan.

Read the National Auto Dealers Association's Response to the new NHTSA plan.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel