Auto Crash Recorders Recommended

The staff of the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that auto makers install crash recorders in new cars and trucks to better measure the forces of auto collisions. More precise measurements of collision force could yield improved auto safety designs and components, such as air bags, according to the proposal submitted to the NTSB. The agency, which investigates the causes of transportation accidents and formulates safety recommendations, is expected to vote on the crash recorder proposal today, officials said. It is one of a series of suggestions from the board’s staff, all aimed at improving the performance of air bags in auto crashes. The NTSB’s recommendations do not have the force of law. But they are influential in shaping rules made by other federal agencies that do, such as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.