Abstract
The damage and injury from automobile accidents are treated as a mechanical problem in mitigating the shock from collisions. General principles of energy and momentum are described and applied to the collision problem. Present work in the field of automobile safety during collisions is surveyed, and possible mechanisms for dealing with excess kinetic energy during a collision are reviewed. It is recommended that passenger compartments be strong and rigid, that passengers be strapped into their seats at all times, that front bumpers of automobiles be required to interface properly with fronts, sides, and backs of all other vehicles on the road, and that front bumpers be required to absorb energy on a graduated-damage system.