Interpretation ID: nht68-3.48

DATE: 08/05/68

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; William Haddon, Jr., M.D.; NHTSA

TO: Luis M. Neco

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: Thank you for your letter of June 25, 1968, concerning the motor vehicle safety requirement for head restraints and your proposed specification for the installation of transparent partitions separating the front and rear compartments of taxicabs.

A head restraint will be required on all passenger cars manufactured after December 31, 1968. Our findings based on passenger vehicle collision research clearly indicate the use of head restraints to be one of the most effective safety measures that can be provided for the driver and front seat passenger. For your information, I am enclosing a copy of a news release on this subject and a report entitled "Backrest and Head Support Design for Rear-End Collision Protection" published by the SAE, January 10, 1968.

I appreciate the problem of driver assault. However, we do not believe the deletion of a proven safety device is an appropriate way to resolve the problem. A positive approach, and one that is practical, would be to develop a suitable partition, and we know of no reason why this can not be accomplished practically, with head restraints and shoulder belts installed. The partition design should provide the current level of safety for(Illegible Word) occupants. I refer here to the use of laminated safety glass with energy absorbing characteristics of today's windshields in a frame that would retain the glass during a collison and that is not hazardous to head impact.

Giving consideration to all the factors involved, we are convinced that head restraints offer significant benefits in reduced "whiplash" injuries, and are certain that you can resolve the partition problem to accomplish both your objective of protecting the driver from others, and of reducing his chances of injury in a crash.