CANBERRA ACT 2601

This reports on a $1 million standards development program by the Federal Office of Road Safety to review and improve cccupant protection in passenger can. It is part of a Federal Government initiative to reduce road trauma through road safety research. The aim of the review was to identify the causes of injuries to vehicle wcupants and to help develop a cost effective strategy to reduce these injuries. This included analysis of actual injuries and a poS-sible range of countermeasures. The main outcome of the review was the release of a new drafi Australian Design Rule for frontal impact protection which is expected to bring about the introduction of emerging safety technology such as airbags into new vehicles. The review alSO recommends further wo & into side, offset frontal and rollover impacts together with examlna-tion of improved safety restraints and child safety