Feds plan for better air bag technology

Although air bags have saved more than 3,000 lives, according to government estimates, they have been blamed for killing 111 people since 1990 - mostly child passengers or small female drivers.

Aiming to prevent such deaths, the proposal would expand the kinds of crash tests required for federal certification of air bags and expand the types of test dummies used to an entire "family" rather than just the traditional adult male, government and industry officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The new proposal could be made public as early as today, officials said, with President Clinton tentatively scheduled to make the announcement. After a public comment period, officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have about a year to come up with a final regulation.

NHTSA officials declined to comment on specifics of the plan, but it recently cleared a final government hurdle before it can be made public - approval by the Office of Management and Budget.

Many children who were killed by air bags were unbelted or unrestrained, allowing them to be thrown close to the dashboard - where the air bag deploys - during pre-crash braking.

To try to limit that danger, the agency will propose testing with 6- and 3-year-old child dummies who are not properly seated but are instead close to the dash board. NHTSA also will require testing with an infant dummy in a rear-facing infant seat and a female dummy, officials said.

09-10-98