HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04041989 - 1.63 1 .063
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS t'"5+`t'°" Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor, Costa
County Administrator
o County
DATE: March 10, 1989
SUBJECT: Air Bag Restraint Systems for County Vehicles
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDATION:
Actree_w th_,the__recomme.n_dation_of_ th:e__Directo r o_f_ Gener_a. -Se_ v_i.cec
not to require the purchase of county vehicles with air bags.
II. BACKGROUND:
As requested by the Board of Supervisors, the General Services
Department has reviewed the possible use of air bag restraint
systems in County vehicles. The Fleet Management Division
contacted all of the American automobile manufacturers to
determine what vehicles are available with air bag restraint
systems and whether older vehicles can be retrofitted with them.
Currently the only automobile available with an air bag
restraint system is the Ford Tempo. The restraint system is
located on the driver's side of the vehicle only, not on the
passenger side. The additional cost to install the system in a
new vehicle at the factory is $815. Vehicles not having factory
installation cannot be retrofitted with air bag restraint
systems. When a vehicle with an air bag restraint system is,
hit, the cost to replace the system is approximately $300 to
$400. The air bag can be released when the front bumper is hit
only slightly; a severe accident is not necessary to cause the
air bag to release. Furthermore, the air bag restraint will
inflate when the vehicle is hit from the front only. The
automobile manufacturers' representatives also indicated that
there will be little advancement in air bag restraint technology
in the near future because of the high costs involved.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: J_L_YES SIGNATURE: )&^A�S �^
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON MIRAPPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _ALL OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
V 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
.L UNANIMOUS(ABSENT Z ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: General Services Department ATTESTED APR L+ 1 1989
Administration PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Fleet Management Division SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY ���• DEPUTY
M382 (10188)
Air Bag Restraint Systems for County Vehicles
Page 2.
New automobiles are required to have passive seat belt restraint
systems as standard equipment. Currently they are available on
compact and mid-size vehicles, including Ford Escorts, Ford
Tempos, and Chevrolet Cavaliers. Each year manufacturers are
upgrading the passive restraint systems, i.e. , shoulder
harnesses. Some automatically extend around occupants of a
vehicle when the engine is started.
As stated above, the cost for Contra Costa County to include air
bag restraint systems in the purchase of new vehicles is an
additional $815, or approximately six percent of the total cost
of each vehicle, if the system is available as an option.
Vehicles already in the County Fleet cannot be retrofitted, so
only new vehicles can be considered. Each year the County
purchases approximately 20 vehicles which could have air bags as
an option. Since the County fleet has over 1,000 pieces of
automotive and heavy equipment, 20 automobiles a year represent
a small number of the total fleet.
The Fleet Management Division is aware of no County vehicle
accident in which an air bag would have reduced injuries. Most
County vehicle accidents are not serious. A major vehicle
accident last year involved a Custodian who was driving a County
vehicle which was "rear-ended" on a freeway. This accident
would not have caused an air bag to inflate, because the vehicle
was not hit in the front. While the vehicle was "totaled" , the
driver was able to walk away from the accident because she was
wearing her seat belt. Departments with employees who do high
mileage driving, such as General Services, Public Works, and the
Sheriff-Coroner, endeavor to ensure that employees are regularly
advised to wear seat belts, which are standard equipment in all
County vehicles.