Interpretation ID: aiam1129
United States Senate
Washington
DC 20510;
Dear Senator Magnuson: You wrote shortly after Mr. Toms' briefing on passive restrain technology to request my views on the implementation of Standard 208. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has taken a number of steps to lay the groundwork for sound decisions on this subject. I want to outline those steps for you and describe our policy regarding interim restraint systems.; As a result of the decision in *Chrysler* v. *Department o Transportation*, the principal focus of NHTSA has been on the test dummy used in Standard 208. Work has now progressed to the point of proposing a new test dummy specification, on which NHTSA is requesting comments. The court in *Chrysler* instructed NHTSA to delay the effective date for the implementation of passive restraints until a reasonable time after test dummy specifications are issued. Thus, NHTSA is obliged to consider the comments it receives on the dummy in forming its judgment as to when passive restraints should be required.; In order to enable a large scale passive restraint evaluation to b conducted, the agency has proposed to adopt the new dummy proposal as part of the optional passive restraint systems allowed after August 1973. This step will allow a manufacturer such as General Motors, which has plans for building up to 100,000 air bag equipped cars in model year 1974, to proceed with its plans.; During the period in which active and passive restraint options ar available to manufacturers, NHTSA will continue its efforts to increase seat belt usage. Standard 208 now requires seat belt interlock systems as the alternative to passive systems. In a decision announced on April 20, the agency rejected petitions from several manufacturers to delete the interlock system and reaffirmed its position that the interlock is an appropriate means of increasing belt usage.; The Department is making every effort to increase seat belt use, bot through the encouragement of mandatory usage laws and through the provision of devices such as the interlock. We expect that such measures will contribute to a reduction in the rate of death and injury on our highways.; Sincerely, Claude S. Brinegar