[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3871]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 22, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. 94-11; Notice 01]
Evaluation Report on Glass-Plastic Windshield Glazing, Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Motor Vehicle Glazing Materials
agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
action: Request for comments.
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summary: This notice announces the publication by NHTSA of an
Evaluation Report concerning Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
205, ``Glazing Materials.'' This staff report evaluates the safety,
durability, and cost of glass-plastic windshield glazing which was
introduced, for a limited time, in selected new passenger car models.
The report was developed in accordance with Executive Order 12866,
which requires Federal agencies to carry out periodic reviews of
regulations that they have promulgated. NHTSA seeks public review and
comment on this evaluation. Comments will be used to complete the
review as required by the Executive Order.
dates: Comments must be received no later than May 23, 1994.
addresses:
Report: Interested persons may obtain a copy of the report free of
charge by sending a self-addressed mailing label to: Ms. Glorious
Harris (NAD-51), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
Comments: All comments should refer to the docket and notice number
of this notice and be submitted to: Docket Section, room 5109, Nassif
Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. [Docket Hours,
9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.] It is requested but not
required that 10 copies of comments be submitted.
Submissions containing information for which confidential treatment
is requested should be submitted (3 copies) to Chief Counsel, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, room 5219, 400 Seventh Street
SW., Washington, DC 20590, and 7 copies from which the purportedly
confidential information has been deleted should be sent to the Docket
Section.
for further information contact: Mr. Frank G. Ephraim, Chief,
Evaluation Division, Office of Strategic Planning and Evaluation, Plans
and Policy, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, room 5208,
400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590 (202-366-1574).
supplementary information: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) No. 205 (49 CFR 571.205), ``Glazing Materials,'' issued by
NHTSA in January 1968, prescribes safety requirements for all glazing
materials used in motor vehicles, including the windshield, the
windows, and any interior partitions. The purpose of the standard is to
reduce injuries resulting from impact with glazing surfaces, to ensure
a necessary degree of transparency in motor vehicle windows for driver
visibility, and to minimize the possibility of occupants being thrown
through the vehicle windshield in collisions.
In 1985, the agency published an evaluation study (DOT HS 806 693,
February 1985) of conventional windshield glazing which has been
standard equipment in American-made vehicles since the mid-1960's.
Conventional glazing, often referred to as ``HPR'' (or High Penetration
Resistant) glazing, was found to be a significant safety improvement
over prior glazing designs, and was credited with bringing about a
major reduction in the frequency and severity of head and facial
injuries which resulted from occupants being thrown against the
windshield in crashes. The primary benefit of the HPR design was a
large reduction in the more severe facial lacerations and fractures,
with a more modest reduction in minor lacerations, the majority of
which still remained after HPR glazing was introduced.
In 1983, NHTSA amended FMVSS No. 205 to permit (but not require)
the use of a new type of glazing, known as ``glass-plastic'' glazing.
Glass-plastic glazing is similar in construction to the type used in
the HPR windshield design except for the addition of a thin sheet of
plastic bonded to the inside surface of the windshield. This feature
was believed to have a high potential for reducing lacerative injuries
to occupants who struck the windshield during crashes. At the same
time, there was some concern over the durability of the softer plastic
liner of the glass-plastic windshield relative to the inner glass
surface of the standard HPR windshield.
Following NHTSA's amendment of FMVSS No. 205, two motor vehicle
manufacturers equipped a number of their cars with glass-plastic
windshields for field testing in rental fleets. One of the
manufacturers also introduced the windshield to the general public by
making it standard equipment on selected make models for a limited
period of time.
NHTSA is conducting an evaluation study of glass-plastic glazing to
assess its potential for lacerative injury reduction, its durability
characteristics, and its costs. The report is based on analyses of data
from State crash files; fleet tests; and on information from vehicle
manufacturers, glass companies, and other sources. The primary findings
and conclusions of the study are:
Safety. Although insufficient to support firm conclusions,
crash data from both State files and fleet tests indicate that
lacerative injury reduction benefits from glass-plastic windshields are
substantially less than the virtual elimination of these injuries,
originally projected by the agency. While the plastic inner liner does
reduce cuts from broken glass, lacerations can still occur from blunt
impact with the plastic liner.
Durability. Data from rental fleet operations and
manufacturer warranty claims indicate that durability problems are
greater than anticipated. Primarily, these problems involve the
susceptibility of the plastic inner liner to damage (cuts, scratches)
from the everyday motor vehicle environment.
Costs. In volume quantities, it is estimated that a glass-
plastic windshield will add $65 to the cost of a new car. Additional
consumer costs would accrue due to the lower durability of the
windshield compared to the conventional windshield. The cost of
replacing a glass-plastic windshield is estimated to be over $1,700,
compared to about $500 for replacing a conventional windshield. This
high cost difference has caused most replacements of glass-plastic
windshields to be made with conventional windshields, thereby negating
any safety benefit inherent in the glass-plastic glazing.
Today's high rates of safety belt use, together with the
high installation rates of air bags--in contrast to the situation a
decade ago when the agency authorized the use of glass-plastic glazing
means that the size of the lacerative injury problem due to windshield
contact in crashes is now substantially smaller and will continue to
decrease.
NHTSA invites comments from interested persons on the evaluation
study summarized in this notice and on other relevant issues.
Comments must not exceed 15 pages in length. (49 CFR 553.21).
Necessary attachments may be appended to these submissions without
regard to the 15-page limit. This limitation is intended to encourage
commenters to detail their primary comments in a concise fashion.
Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their
comments in the docket should enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard
in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the comments, the
docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail.
(15 U.S.C. 1392, 1401, 1407; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50
and 501.8)
Issued on: February 9, 1994.
Donald C. Bischoff,
Associate Administrator for Plans and Policy.
[FR Doc. 94-3871 Filed 2-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-M
