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From: rob@dadla.UUCP (Rob Vetter)
Newsgroups: net.news,net.legal,net.misc
Subject: Seatbelts, NTSB revelations
Message-ID: <976@dadla.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Aug-86 15:49:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: dadla.976
Posted: Thu Aug 14 15:49:16 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 17-Aug-86 06:04:24 EDT
Reply-To: rob@dadla (Rob Vetter)
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR.
Lines: 30
Xref: mnetor net.news:1975 net.legal:3236 net.misc:2522


	In a recent statement, the NTSB (National Transportation and
	Safety Board) said that lap belts could cause injury (to
	kidneys, spine, and other lower viceral organs) in the case
	of an accident, and that they "don't know" if the benefits of
	wearing them outweigh the risks.

	The NTSB went further to state that shoulder straps, common in
	front seats, should be added to the belts in back.

	Many states now have seatbelt laws based partially on the NSTB's
	earlier findings.  In Oregon, wearing belts is manditory for
	anyone under 16 - the group most often found in the back seats
	where lap belts are most prevalent.

	I opposed the Oregon law on Civil Rights grounds.  Now, it
	appears that I COULD have opposed a manditory seatbelt law for
	SAFETY reasons.

	I'm still waiting for a report detailing the risks to the neck,
	clavicle, and chest when in an accident wearing the shoulder
	strap.
-- 

Rob Vetter
(503) 629-1044
[ihnp4, ucbvax, decvax, uw-beaver]!tektronix!dadla!rob

"Waste is a terrible thing to mind" - NRC
  (Well, they COULD have said it)