Abstract
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 will require passive restraints on certain classes of automobiles beginning with the model year 1982. Currently, certain automobile models are equipped with passive restraints. Others are expected to voluntarily offer passive restraints prior to 1982. Alternative approaches to collecting accident data on passive restraint cars during the period up to 1981 were studied. The number of accidents to be expected was estimated, as were the numbers which could be studied using the different approaches. The error of effectiveness estimates obtainable from the different approaches were estimated.