DOT HS 809 689, Novemver 2003

1. Report No.

DOT HS 809 689

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient’s Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

Results of the Survey on the Use of Passenger Air Bag On-Off Switches

5. Report Date

November 2003

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)

Christina Morgan

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Evaluation Division; Office of Planning, Evaluation and Budget
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Washington, DC 20590

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Washington, DC 20590

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

NHTSA Technical Report

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. Supplementary Notes

16. Abstract

NHTSA conducted a survey to investigate how pickup truck drivers are using the passenger air bag on-off switches. The main two questions were how often the switches were turned off for child passengers and how often they were turned on for adult passengers. The survey was conducted from July to November 2000 in four States – California, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas.

On the whole, the switches have been a necessary and a fairly successful interim measure that made it possible to offer life-saving air bags to adult passengers in pickup trucks without back seats, while allowing the opportunity to protect infants and children from the hazards of air bags when they must ride in the front seats of those vehicles. Nevertheless, the survey shows many of the air bags are being left on for children and turned off for adults. Forty-eight percent of the air bags were left on when only child passengers 1-12 years old were in the front seat and 62 percent when a child and an adult passenger were in the front seat, potentially exposing these children to a deployment. There is also a problem when drivers ride with only adult passengers (age 13 and older). While 83 percent of the switches were on, as they should be, 17 percent were switched off.

17. Key Words

18. Distribution Statement

Document is available to the public through the
National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161

19. Security Classif. (Of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classif. (Of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

22. Price