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Traffic Safety Coalition PresidentResponds to Public Citizen Airbag Press Conference

3 July 1997

AIRBAG RESPONSE Statement by PHILLIP W. HASELTINE President, American Coalition for Traffic Safety

                               In Response to:
        Airbag Press Conference Held Today, Thursday, July 3, 1997 by
                  Public Citizen and Center for Auto Safety

    WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The following is a statement by Phillip
W. Haseltine, president of the American Coalition for Traffic Safety:

    At a time when the American public is looking for leadership in resolving
the problems with airbags, it is unfortunate that Miss Claybrook and Mr.
Ditlow have resorted to attacking the car companies for producing the very
airbag systems that they advocated for more than two decades.
    There is no credible evidence whatsoever to support the claim that some
cars have "the safest" and others "the most dangerous airbags." Unfortunately,
there have been fatalities in vehicles with all types of airbag systems.  In
fact, the March 1997 addition of SAE's Automotive Engineering magazine cites
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data that of 17
children reported to be fatally injured by deploying airbags, 11 were in
vehicles with top mounted airbag systems.
    Every air bag sold today meets the federal safety standard.  All air bags
systems are saving lives overall -- more than 2,000 so far by NHTSA's count.
The tragic side effects of the technology are being addressed.  The government
is taking steps to address these problems, and the auto industry has led the
effort to bring about the needed changes to the airbag standard and to inform
the public about the need for adults to wear safety belts with children under
12 properly restrained in the back seat.
    While the toll of children killed in airbag deployments mounted, and true
safety advocates were doing their level best to inform the American people
about steps they could take to prevent injuries, where were Miss Claybrook and
Mr. Ditlow? Over the past year, did either hold a news conference to urge
parents to put their children in the back seat? Did either issue a supporting
news release for the efforts of the Air Bag Safety Campaign, or Chrysler's
"The Back Is Where It's At!" program to encourage youngsters to ride in the
back seat away from the airbag? Did either ever hold a news conference to
encourage Americans to buckle up? Did either join with the car companies, the
National Transportation Safety Board and others who have called on NHTSA to
change the standard to protect women and children?  Sadly, of course, the
answer to these questions is no.

SOURCE  American Coalition for Traffic Safety