Automobiles have had a major impact on the way we work and play. The car is more than just a means of "transportation". It has become a symbol of the American culture by bringing new freedoms to millions - freedom to work in one town, live in another, and shop in still another. The automobile has allowed Americans greater personal mobility than at anytime in the history of the world.

This freedom comes at a price. With the millions of cars that traverse our roadways everyday, accidents are unavoidable. These range from minor fender benders to major crashes that cause serious injury and death. Society has come to accept these consequences as the price that it has to pay in order to reap the benefits of the automobile.

However, there have been numerous individuals who would not accept these outcomes. They did not want to get rid of the automobile, but rather lower the number of these accidents and reduce the injuries in the ones that did occur. They knew that the only way to do this was to improve the safety of automobiles. The hard work and dedication that these engineers, designers, and businessmen gave to the safety cause are responsible for saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Their contributions to automobile safety include such devices as air bags and the electric starters, as well as refinements in the braking system. The stories behind these advancements are often fascinating. Some features were driven by profit, others by the inventors own experiences with automobile accidents. This web page was designed to not only describe how these safety items work, but the history behind them.

Stephen Dirksen History of American Technology Professor Lux