WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday upgraded safety requirements for vehicle door latches in a move that will require sliding doors on minivans to have a second latch.
NHTSA has been concerned about doors opening during crashes as it focuses on preventing the ejection of unbelted motorists. More than 54,000 people are ejected each year from vehicles, and 15 percent are ejected through doors. Between 1995 and 2003, 20 people died and 30 were injured annually after sliding doors opened during accidents.
The new requirement will save seven lives annually and four injuries will be “reduced in severity as a result of remaining inside the vehicle, NHTSA estimates.
Most at risk are children.
“Individuals with the greatest exposure to sliding door failures are children. Children sit in the back of vehicles in disproportionately high numbers,” NHTSA's rule said. “We do not believe this exposure is acceptable.”
The final rule, NHTSA said, “essentially requires sliding doors to have two latches.” In 2003, 1.4 million vans were sold with sliding doors; of those, 660,000 vans don't meet the new upgraded test. Adding a second latch will cost an average of $7 per door at an annual cost of $8.4 million.
Automakers said the upgrade will require major structural modifications to B-pillars and doors. The new rule takes effect Sept. 1, 2009.
