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S. Hrg. 104-571 AIR BAG SAFETY Y4.C 73/7: S. HRG, 104-571 Air Bag Safety, S.Hrg. 104-571, 104... HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MARCH 7, 1996 Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation NOV 2 7 19SS U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 23-258CC WASHINGTON : 1996 ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-053517-4 S. Hrg. 104-571 AIR BAG SAFETY 4,C 73/7: S. HRG. 104-571 r Bag Safety, S.Hrg. 104-571, 104... HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MARCH 7, 1996 Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation aiSENTOrnnni NOV 2 7 19SS afn^nikipHqijf, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 2»-258CC WASHINGTON : 1996 ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-053517-4 SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION ONE HUNDRED FOURTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION LARRY PRESSLER, South Dakota, Chairman TED STEVENS, Alaska ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carohna JOHN McCain, Arizona DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii CONRAD BURNS, Montana WENDELL H. FORD, Kentucky SLADE GORTON, Washington J. JAMES EXON, Nebraska TRENT LOTT, Mississippi JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine JOHN B. BREAUX, Louisiana JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri RICHARD H. BRYAN, Nevada BILL FRIST, Tennessee BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota Patric G. Link, ChiefofStaff Kevin G. CUKTIN, Democratic ChiefCounsel and StaffDirector (II) CONTENTS Page Hearingheld on March 7, 1996 1 Statement ofSenator Bryan 4 Prepared statement ofSenatorBums 3 Prepared statement ofSenatorHolUngs 3 Statement ofSenatorPressler 1 F*repared statement 2 List of Witnesses Klimisch, Dr., Richard, vice president. EngineeringAffairs Division, American Automobile ManufacturingAssociation; accompaniedby VannWilber, direc- tor, Vehicle Safety 31 Prepared statement 33 Martinez, Ricardo, M.D., administrator. National Highway Traffic Safety Ad- ministration; accompanied by Barry Felrice, associate administrator. Safety Performance Standards; William Boehly, associate administrator, Research and Development; Jim Hedlund associate administrator, Trafiic Safety Pro- grams; andSam Dubbin, chiefcounsel 5 Prepared statement 8 O'Neill, Brian, president. Insurance Institute forHighwaySafety 35 Prepared statement 39 Parker, George, vice president. Engineering Affairs, Association of Inter- national Automobile Manufacturers 59 Prepared statement 62 Appendix Questions askedby SenatorPresslerand answers thereto by: Martinez, Ricardo, M.D 75 OtherMaterial Submitted forthe HearingRecord: Letter from Stephen T. Long/E. Patricia Gk)or, CEO, addressed to Dr. Ricardo Martinez, Administrator, NHTSA 78 Attachmentsto Dr. Martinez letter: SledTests ofGOOR"™ Airbag Compatible Infant Seat 79 'We're Getting Close to an AirbagSafety Infant Seats' 81 Investor's Business Dailyarticle 84 (III) HEARING ON AIR BAG SAFETY THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1996 U.S. Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Washington, DC. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m., in room SR- 253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Larry Pressler (chairman ofthe committee) presiding. Staff members assigned to this hearing: Lance D. Bultena staff counsel; and Moses Boyd, minority senior counsel. OPENE^G STATEMENT OF SENATOR PRESSLER The Chairman. I call this meeting of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to order. This morning, we are dealing with the safety of air bags. It al- most seems somewhat of an oxymoron to be holding a hearing on whether air bags might do damage in some instances, but that has been the report. Our purpose today is to discuss the effectiveness of air bags, and the instances where they cause fatalities, or injuries to children or to small, elderly people, who might be holding themselves very close to a steering wheel. In general, air bags are functioning well. They are credited with saving over 900 lives since 1987, ana with reducing the severity of injury in many more instances. The Intermodal Surface Transpor- tation Efficiency Act of 1991 required the use of both passenger- and driver-side air bags in all cars manufactured after September 1, 1997, and all light trucks and vans manufactured after Septem- ber 1, 1998. My home State of South Dakota is pickup country, so I know many folks there are watching this issue. ISTEA also required the U.S. Department of Transportation to report to Congress every 6 months on the effectiveness of occupant restraint systems. I understand there has been some confusion over this report requirement, and that the most recent report is now over a year late. I am not saying this failure is any indication the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mishandled the issue. I am pleased we have National Highway Traffic Safety Ad- ministrator Martinez with us today, and nope we can resolve any questions or misunderstandings that may exist. Another purpose of today's hearing is that there is, tragically, a down side to air bag use. In some relatively rare cases, air bags cause injury. These injuries are normally minor, but sometimes the injuries have been very serious. The most publicized ofthe adverse (1) side effects ofthe air bags are child or infant fatahties in accidents where, absent an air bag, a fatahty would not have occurred. It seems air bags can cause injury when passengers find themselves too near the air bag when it deploys. I understand that frequently the passenger is out of position because they are not properly restrained by a seat belt, safety belt, or, in the case of infants, because they were not in a properly positioned child safety seat. I think there may be a need to publicize the importance of putting child safety seats in the back seat, and not in a passenger seat equipped with an air bag. The motoring public must also be aware ofthe injuries which can occur from an air bag ifthe lap and shoulder belts are not fastened. I look forward to hearing from NHTSA about research being conducted to improve air bag safety, and, from all witnesses, what is being done to alert and inform the public. In today's hearing, I hope we will learn more about the safety tradeoffs involved with air bags. I also expect we will hear testimony on the importance of wearing safety belts to both maximize the safety benefits of air bags, and minimize the risk of collateral injurv. I thank the witnesses for coming to testify today. I look forward to their remarks. I call on my colleague from the State of Nevada. [Prepared statement ofSenator Pressler follows:] Prepared StatementofSenatorPressler The purpose oftoday's hearingis to conduct general oversight concerningthe safety and effectiveness ofair bags. In general, air bags are functioning well. They are credited with saving over 900 lives since 1987 and with reducing the severity ofin- juryin many more mstances. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) required the use of both passenger and driver side air bags in all cars manufactured after September 1, 1997 and all light trucks and vans manufactured after September 1, 1998. My home state ofSouth Dakota is pickup country, so I know many folks there are watchingthis issue. ISTEA also required the U.S. Department ofTransportation to report to Congress every six months on the "effectiveness ofoccupant restraint systems". I understand there has been some confusion over this report requirement and that the most recent report is now over a year late. I am not saying this failure is any indication the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mishandled the issue. I am leased we have NHTSA Administrator Martinez with us today and hope we can K elpto resolve any questions or misunderstandings that may exist. Another purpose oftoday's hearing is that there is, tragically, a downside to air baguse. In some relatively rare cases, airbags cause injury. These injuries are normally minorbut sometimes the injuries have been very serious. The most publicized of the adverse side effects of air bags are child or infant fatalities in accidents where, absent an airbag, a fatality would not have occurred. It seems air bags can cause injury whenpassengers find themselves too near the air bag when it deploys. I understand that frequently the passenger is out ofposition because they were not properly restrainedby a safety belt, or in the case ofinfants, because they were not in a properly positioned child safety seat. I tninx there may be a need to publicize the importance of putting child safety seats in the back seat and not in a passenger seat equipped with an airbag. The motoring public must also be aware ofthe injuries which can occur from an airbag if the lap and shoulder belts are not fastened. I look forward to hearing from NHTSA about research being conducted to improve airbag safety and from all witnesses what isbeing done to alert andinformthe public. In today's hearing I hope we will learn more aoout the safety tradeofTs involved with air bags. I also expect we will hear testimony on the importance of wearing safety belts to both maximize the safety benefits of air bags wnile minimizing the risk that they will cause collateral injury. I thank the witnesses for coming to testify today. I look forward to your remarks. STATEMENT OF SENATOR BURNS Prepared statementofSenator Conrad Burns Chairman Pressler, one ofthe most important functions ofthis Committee is our oversight of safety issues. I appreciate your holding this hearing on air bag safety and I will keep my remarks short so we can hear more from the Witnesses. Highway safety has been a major issue during this session ofCongress. Last fall, we enacted legislation designating the national highway system. It also included provisions regarding speed limits, hours-of-service, drunk driving and motorcycle helmets. The bottom line is that manyhere believe that the states can handle these issues on their own. Every state has a—highway department, a transportation department and a State Highway Patrol folks who are capable of looking at their state and its condition and making a reasonable decision based on calculated facts. We are also living in a different time than when the federal speed limits were enacted over two deca—des ago. Cars are saferand roads are better maintained. More people wear seatbelts seatbelts that are better and safer than they were then. And today car buyers want safety features such as air bags, side-impact strengthened doors, and day-runninglamps. ISTEA of 1991 required all passenger cars manufactured after September 1, 1997 to have driver and passenger airbags, plus manual lap and shoulder belts. "Buckle- up" laws an—d increased awareness of the effe—ctiveness of seat belts has resulted in more people 67 percent as ofDecember 1994 buclUingup. The federal government, in conjunction with the automooile industry, has accom- plished much in making cars safer and in turn making the roads safer. More than 65,000 lives have been saved by safety belts since 1982. And airbags have saved an estimated 1,000 lives since 1987, a 20 percent reduction in driver deaths in frontal crashes. It is clear that airbags used with safetybelts effectively prevent deaths and serious injuries in front-end motor vehicle crashes. However, as with any safety device, it is not effective foreveryvictim nor in all cases. In some cases, special precautions mustbe taken. For example, NHTSA released safety recommendations regarding children and airbags in response to airbag-related fatalities and serious injuries to infant passengers. Small people are also in danger because ofsitting too close to the compart- ment when the airbag is released. And so are people who do not have the seat belt fastened at impact. The problem could be airbag inflators that have too high of pressure so they in- flate with too much force. Crash test standards may have to be changed. On-switch- es have alsobeen recommended as a wayto turn offthe airbagsystem. I am also interested in long-term solutions like the "smart bag" that would take all of these factors into consideration and provide the best protection possible in a greater numberofcases. Mr. Chairman, I thank the witnesses for coming today and appreciate having the opportunityto heartheirconcerns and suggestions forimprovingairbagsafety. STATEMENT OF SENATOR ROLLINGS Statement ofSenator Hollings As a long-time supporter ofhighway safety programs, I have a great interest in airbag safety. I am proud that, along with Senators Bryan and Gorton, I was a sponsor oflegis- lation in the 102nd Congress to require the installation ofairbags in passenger cars and light trucks. When that legislation was introduced, the Bush Administration and the automobile industry were opposed to it. We were successful, nevertheless, in attaching the legislation to the Intermodal Surface Transportation EfficiencyAct, which was passed and signed into law in 1991. Safety experts have recognized airbags as the single most effective device in pre- venting automobile related deaths and injuries. While seatbelts are essential to pro- tecting occupants in traflic accidents, airbags are considered the number one life saving device. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) esti- mates that airbag-equipped cars could save 9,000 lives and prevent over 150,000 serious injuries annually, as compared to automobiles without airbags. Pursuant to the passage oftne 1991 airbag legislation, car manufacturers are required to equip all passenger cars with driver and passenger side airbags by Sep- tember 1997, and light trucks by September 1998. NHTSA has advised that car manufacturers are on schedule to comply with the law. Although airbag eflectiveness is undisputed, I am aware that issues have been raised about possible adverse side effects ofairbags. Some, including the Ford Motor Company, have suggested that airbags may cause injuries as a result of aggressive deployment. I believe that this issue needs to be examined by the Committee, as well as NHTSA and hi^way safety experts. However, any changes in testing and safety standards should be studied intensely, and considered very cautiously, to en- sure that airbagsafetyis not compromised. I look forwardto the testimony ofthe witnesses attoday'shearing. STATEMENT OF SENATOR RICHARD H. BRYAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM NEVADA Senator Bryan. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Let me preface my remarks by congratulating you on convening this timely hearing on the issue ofauto safety. IfI may, I would like to makejust a few opening comments. I think that if one looks over the last two decades, improvements in automobile safety have been nothing short of remarkable. Today we travel millions ofmiles more than we did a decade ago, and yet — auto fatalities are down particularly down in the context of the number of fatalities and accidents involving the number of miles that we travel. Air bags have played an important part in improved auto safety. The technology developed in the 1950's. It took us three decades in the Congress, with bipartisan support, I note, Mr. Chairman. Sen- ator Slade Gorton, Senator Fritz Rollings, who was then the chairman of this committee, and I, labored mightily to enact that legislation. Having said that, I fully acknowledge that there have been legiti- mate concerns raised about the deployment ofair bags, particularly with youngsters, and particularly when there is a failure to use the seat belt system as well. So I look forward to hearing the comments and testimony this morning. Clearly, public education is a part of the message that we need to communicate to the public. The notion that somehow air bags render the use of seat belts unnecessary, to the extent that that in- formation is out there, is a false message when it comes to auto safety. I note that the automobile industry, to its credit, is prepared to put forward a substantial amount ofmoney on a matching basis, up to $10 million as I am informed, to help to carry out that message. I must say that I am disappointed that the insurance industry, which has a vested interest in auto safety, has to date apparently not been willing to make a commitment. I would hope that we would hear from representatives of the industry, and encourage them to make that commitment. The bottom line from this Senator's perspective is that we need to move very carefully on changing any standards. The worst thing that we could do would be to change the standards and have a net increase offatalities and serious accidents, again, not to underesti- mate the fact that there may be an issue out here that we need to address and to take a look at. But I look forward, Mr. Chairman, with you and other members of this committee, to hearing the testimony this morning. And, again, I congratulate you on convening this hearing.