HEAD INJURY PROTECTION [ back to What's New ]
Each year there are 60,000 head injuries from vehicle interior impacts of which 3,000 are "serious" and 2,500 are fatal, involving contact between an occupants's head and Upper Interior Impact Zones such as the A-Pillar, B-Pillar, Front Header, and Front Side Rail. In 1995 federal regulations were adopted requiring auto makers to pad those danger spots with energy absorbing materials meeting minimum safety standards. Unfortunately the regulations are not fully effective until Sept. 2002, and they do not go far enough. Consumer safety advocates have recommended that consumers seek to purchase vehicles which exceed the standards. One place to look for crashworthiness data is www.hwysafety.org/vehicle-ratings.