WASHINGTON (AP) — Safety standards proposed Wednesday to protect people in side-impact crashes are intended to save as many as 1,000 lives a year and reduce head injuries, auto regulators said.
The plan, which could be in place by 2009, goes beyond the current standards that require only protection for people's torsos.
Automakers will decide for themselves how to comply. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group representing 10 automakers, estimates the required safety changes will add between $200 and $500 to the cost of a vehicle.
"While it's very expensive, this is a rule that will have tremendous benefits," said Dr. Jeffrey Runge, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Side-impact crashes kill about 10,000 people annually. That is about one-quarter of all deaths on the nation's roads.
Vehicles will have to meet a basic level of safety to be on the road. Consumers will be able to see how well the vehicles performed on the agency's Web site.