Years ago, seat belts in automobiles became mandatory to help prevent injuries in accidents. The original seat belts were active restraints; they required the operator to take some action in order to be restrained. While education and advertising increased the use of seat belts over the years, a large portion of the population was still not buckling up. The government's response was legislation in 1984 that required a driver's side passive restraint device be part of every 1990 model car sold in the United States. Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole i

can harm those who would otherwise be in no jeopardy. As airbags have evolved, their speed of inflation, the safe distance to sit from them, and the force and location of impact to inflate them

The United States government has mandated that Americans use a piece of equipment that is known to have caused injury and death. The government has decided to address the issue of poor American safety habits by forcing drivers to use a passive piece of safety equipment that

Risen, James. "Accidental Airbag Inflation Unlikely." Los Angeles Times 8 Jan. 1993: 1-2

Drivers, especially those under five feet two inches, are particularly vulnerable. Because of their small size, they may be situated too close to the airbag. The ideal distance that a person is supposed to be seated from an airbag is twenty-five centimeters from the center of the person's sternum to the center of the airbag cover. An easier rule of thumb is to be at least twelve inches away from the dashboard or steering wheel. Leaning forward in the seat to adjust the radio, heat or air-conditioning, or visor can all potentially place the driver or passenger too close to the airbag for safety. A passenger who reacts to an impending frontal crash by stretching their arms out to the dashboard can easily end up with broken arms, or facial or injuries. (Nauss 5)

Hazleton, Lesley. Everything Women Always Wanted To Know About Cars. New York: Dell

standards. One of the standards is adults who must put children in the front seat because they have large families or are in carpools and they need to use all of the seats in the automobile. Another standard covers adults who must put a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat because of a medical problem or because the car does not have a back seat. Short drivers who cannot sit far enough away from the airbag may also petition for an on/off switch. Those with certain medical conditions may petition as well. Motorists who petition for an on/off switch are required to read a brochure about airbag safety and sign a document under penalty of perjury stating that they fit into one of the higher-risk categories. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration developed the petition process to respond to thousands of consumers who wanted to deactivate their air bags. (Cole 1)

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Approximate Word count = 1986
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)