Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection

This document responds to petitions for reconsideration of the new, advanced air bag final rule; interim final rule that we published in May 2000. This document grants portions of the petitions and denies other portions of the petitions. The May 2000 final rule amended our occupant crash protection standard to require that future air bags be designed so that, compared to current air bags, they create less risk of serious air bag-induced injuries, particularly for small women and young children; and provide improved frontal crash protection for all occupants, by means that include advanced air bag technology. The issuance of that rule completed the implementation of our 1996 comprehensive plan for reducing air bag risks. It was also required by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which was enacted in 1998.