On November 21, 2005, Public Citizen submitted comments on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) proposed rulemaking on roof crush resistance asserting that the proposed roof crush rules are so grossly inadequate that 70 percent of existing vehicles will already meet them. Current, affordable solutions offer automakers the opportunity to save thousands of lives each year in rollover accidents, yet NHTSA’s proposed regulations take only faltering steps towards requiring stronger roofs.
Rollover crashes kill 10,000 people each year, accounting for one-third of all occupant deaths in vehicle crashes. Many deaths and injuries that stem from rollover crashes occur when the roofs of vehicles crush in, killing or paralyzing the occupants of the vehicles. In many cases when the roof crushes, the windows of the vehicle crush or blow out, seat belt and side air bag systems fail, and doors spring open, causing people to be ejected and killed.
Yet NHTSA’s proposed rule ignores the fact that a strong roof is crucial to preventing people from being ejected from vehicles that roll over. The benefits of preventing ejection of nearly 4,000 people annually would justify the small costs of a much more stringent standard.
“NHTSA is squandering an unprecedented opportunity to save lives by reducing rollover deaths,” said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook. “This is an egregious betrayal of the public trust. It is technologically feasible and cost-effective to make vehicle roofs much, much stronger. The government has an obligation to require auto manufacturers to do so. It is unconscionable that the agency has punted.”
IN-DEPTH:Follow these links to learn more about NHTSA’s roof crush rule proposal: http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?id=2089 http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?id=2090 Follow this link to read Public Citizen’s official comments: http://www.citizen.org/documents/RC_Final.pdf
