Abstract
To reduce fatalities and injuries due to fire in motor vehicle crashes, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 301 was issued. This Standard, which applies to passenger cars, light trucks, and school buses, prescribes impact test requirements aimed at reducing the chances of fuel-fed fires caused by fuel system breaching in vehicle crashes. This study is an evaluation of the effectiveness, benefits, and costs of fuel system improvements made in response to the Standard. It is based on analysis of on-road crash data from 5 States in the USA, the Fatal Accident Reporting System files, and on information supplied by automobile manufacturers.