The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States estimates that more than 28,000 people have survived vehicle crashes and are still alive thanks to the presence of front airbags in their vehicles as of January 1, 2009. This data has been accumulated over time from accidents and fatalities on American highways and back streets. This article will examine these statistics and compare the information with this data. Driver airbags first appeared in some 1985 models. From 1987 to 1990, automatic occupant protection was phased in by the NHTSA. However, airbags were not mandatory during this period. Any automatic occupant protection system meeting the requirements set by NHTSA was permitted. Automatic seat belts and airbags were both present. The agency explained that the combination of properly fastened 3-point belts with an airbag provides the occupant with the greatest safety. Following this information, the public immediately supported the use of belts rather than automatic seat belts. In 1990, the number of cars sold with airbags was in the millions. In 1993, most new cars were equipped with driver airbags, and dual airbags by the end of 1994. By 1995, most new light trucks sold were equipped with either driver airbags or dual airbags providing passenger safety. Also. In 1998, every new car had to be equipped with two airbags as well as manually operated 3-point seat belts, and this was also the case for all light trucks manufactured in 1999. This study presents a statistical analysis carried out on the basis of NHTSA records reporting 7,933 accidents occurring in 1996 and more recent studies. Results are based on FARS data covering the years 1986 to 2009. This publication...... middle of article ......als of Epidemiology 20:499-510.National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( 2009) “Special Crash Investigations – Counts of front air bag Related fatalities and seriously injured persons”, Washington, DC: United States Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (1996) “NHTSA Technical Report “Fatality Reduction by Air Bags;Analyses of Accident Data through Early 1996” Technical Report No. DOT HS 808 470 August 1996 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (1992) “Evaluation of the effectiveness of occupant protection: federal motor vehicle safety standard 208, interim report. Technical Report No. DOT HS 807 843, Washington: Evans, Leonard (1986) “Double Pair Comparison – A New Method for Determining How Occupant Characteristics Affect the Risk of Fatality in Motor Vehicle Accidents.” Analysis and prevention of accidents, 18 (June 1986).