Ford to Offer Side Air Bags on All Cars as Safety Measures Emerge as a Priority

Automakers in the US are increasingly prioritizing side-impact safety, with major players like Ford and General Motors committing to integrate side air bags into their vehicles. Ford's announcement to equip all its US models with side air bags within the next several years marks a significant step towards enhancing occupant protection in side-impact collisions, which have accounted for a growing proportion of traffic deaths. These advancements in safety technology come as federal regulators, insurance industry researchers, and the auto makers' own safety experts express growing concerns about the spread of light trucks, including sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks, which may lead to more deadly side-impact collisions.

Key Takeaways:

• Ford will offer side air bags on all its US models over the next several years, making it the first mass-market auto maker to do so.
• General Motors already offers side air bags on 15 of its models and plans to add 15 more over the next two years.
• Side-impact collisions have accounted for 30% of all traffic deaths, with nearly 7,000 Americans dying each year in side-impact collisions involving two vehicles.
• Ford's side air bags will be built into the outer side of the driver's seat and front passenger's seat, inflating to protect the occupant's neck and head.
• The side air bags will be standard equipment on Ford's luxury cars, particularly Lincoln sedans, but will become standard on less-expensive models as buyers consistently choose them as an option.
• Side air bags have recently become standard on G.M.'s Cadillac Seville and DeVille sedans and on its Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and Pontiac Trans Sport mini-vans.
• The Chrysler Corporation does not offer side air bags on any of its models but is reviewing whether to do so.

Statistics:

• Nearly 1 in 3 (30%) of all traffic deaths are caused by side-impact collisions.
• Nearly 7,000 Americans die each year in side-impact collisions involving two vehicles.
• Side air bags could meet new federal standards requiring greater protection for car occupants' heads during collisions from all angles.
• Regulators estimate that air bags in front of both front seats have saved 3,000 lives over the last decade, but the force of inflation has killed 96 people, mainly children or elderly people who were not wearing seat belts.

Sources:

• Ford Motor Company
• General Motors Corporation
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Insurance industry researchers
• Regulatory agencies