Passive and Active Restraint Systems-Performance and Benefit/Cost Comparison

Five different restraint systems-mandatory harness, airbag + 20% lap belt usage, airbag, passive three point harness, and torso and knee bar-are analyzed for fatality and injury reduction, benefit/cost ratio, and cost-effectiveness. The mandatory harness is superior to the others in all comparisons with approximately 100,000 lives saved over the first 10 years which is about twice as many as would be saved by the other systems. A major advantage of the mandatory harness is that practically all of the vehicles are equipped while the other systems will require 10 years for complete installation.