Background In 2000, NHTSA amended FMVSS 208 to make future air bags substantially less hazardous to out-of-position occupants, but also more effective for correctly positioned occupants. These "advanced" air bags will implemented step-by-step. MY 2004-2006 will phase in air bags that will not deploy at all ("suppression") or deploy only at a low level of force ("low-risk deployment") if a small child is present, or if an older child/small adult is out-of-position, close to the air bag. The technology for suppression and low-risk deployment includes sensors that detect the weight and/or position of an occupant. Furthermore, these air bags will need to pass a barrier and offset test with 5th percentile female dummies in addition to the current barrier test with a 50th percentile male dummy. MY 2008-2010 will phase in a 35 mph barrier test with the belted 50th percentile male dummy, an increase from the current 30 mph.

ObjectiveMonitor the overall fatality-reducing effectiveness of advanced air bags, and compare it to pre-2004 air bags. Estimate their effectiveness for child passengers, small adult drivers, and in offset or oblique frontal crashes. Monitor the performance of suppression and low-risk deployment systems in actual crashes. Compare the seating distribution of child passengers with advanced air bags and pre-2004 air bags: are more children sitting in the front seat?

Proposed Approach Statistical analyses of FARS data, similar to those in NHTSA's 1996 evaluation of air bags, will be used to estimate the fatality-reducing effectiveness of advanced air bags, overall and for selected populations or crash types. The NASS Crashworthiness Data System, possibly supplemented with additional data elements, will provide data on the crash performance of suppression and low-risk deployment technologies. Special Crash Investigations will furnish initial results on a case-by-case basis. State crash data will show if there has been any change in the distribution of child passengers' seating positions. This evaluation will continue for 5 years or more, as new designs of advanced air bags are phased in; however, NHTSA will issue interim reports for important findings.