Following revision of the applicable Federal safety standard in 1983, two motor vehicle manufacturers equipped some of their cars with glass-plastic windshields for testing in rental fleets. One company also installed the windshield in regular production cars for a brief period. The windshield was thought to have high potential for reducing windshield-caused lacerations to occupants involved in crashes. There were also concerns over the durability of the product. This study is an evaluation of the safety, durability, and cost of glass-plastic windshield glazing. It is based on analyses of data from State crash files, fleet tests, and other sources. The study findings are: 1) Safety: crash data indicate that the injury reduction potential of glass-plastic windshields is substantially less than predicted; 2) Durability: fleet and warranty claim data indicate that durability problems are greater than anticipated; 3) Costs: a glass-plastic windshield adds $65 to the cost of a new car. Additional "durability" costs would also accrue. Replacement cost is estimated to exceed $1,700; and 4) Today's high rates of safety belt use, coupled with the growing number of air bag-equipped cars, mean that windshield-caused injuries have decreased and will continue to decline. (A)
Abstract