This research proposes to evaluate the factors that may affect relative effectiveness (compared to other forms of passive restraint) of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety.
The first subproblem. The first subproblem is to determine the effect, if any, that the size of the automobile (subcompact, compact, and so forth) has on the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety.
The second subproblem. The second subproblem is to determine the effect, if any, that automobile speed at the time of an accident has on the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety.
The third subproblem. The third subproblem is to determine the effect, if any, that the size of the individual (infant, child, or adult) has on the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety.
The fourth subproblem. The fourth subproblem is to determine the effect, if any, that longevity of an unused air bag has on the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety.
The first hypothesis is that the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety is greater as the size of the automobile (subcompact, compact, and so forth) decreases. Three sub-hypotheses will be testedùone in relation to the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags and seat belts in enhancing automobile driver and passenger safety compared with each of three forms of passive seat belt systems (refer to the definition of seat belts in this section of the proposal).
The second hypothesis is that the relative effectiveness of the combined use of air bags ...