what can be done to minimize risks from SABs?
Much work has been done on minimizing potential risks from SABs. The Technical Working Group (TWG) from the automotive and insurance industries voluntarily have developed a testing procedure for SABs to find out a way to reduce SABs related injuries, sustained by the occupants, especially children, in case of a serious car crash.
Car manufacturers now need to report to the government if the car models that are being manufactured by them meet the testing procedure as developed by TWG. This is specifically concerned with the passengers’ “out-of-position” testing procedure. The new models of the cars being manufactured today, and listed in www.safercar.gov, would have the letter “M” as a designation of “Meets” in the column labeled “SAB Out of Position Testing” in the “available features” chart for each vehicle.
The “out-of-position” testing as developed by TWG has proved to be successful. Never-the-less, though it just minimizes the risk of SABs induced injuries specially to the children and the small adults seating next to them, the tested SABs which are fitted in the car are not supposed to prevent injuries in all sorts of car crashes.