In 1956, Ford was the first of the Motor City carmakers to tackle the issue of auto safety head on with its Lifeguard Design campaign. Here’s the story.
This eight-minute video is actually a compilation of five very short films produced by Ford Motor Company, each of which took a different angle in explaining Lifeguard Design, Ford’s pioneering 1956 safety campaign. The most clear and succinct explanation of the concept and its features can be found in the first minute-and-a-half promo, while the most entertaining bit might be the third segment, which stars our old buddy Bill McGaw, movie stunt driver and thrill show impresario.
By today’s standards, Lifeguard Design employed a simple and direct approach to safety engineering. Key elements included a padded dash and sun visors, burst-proof door locks, a recessed steering wheel, and optional nylon lap belts. These areas represented the low-hanging fruit in the advance of automotive safety, and there is no doubt these measures were effective, especially the lap belts and door locks. In highway crashes in those days, passengers were often ejected from their vehicles as the doors burst open, with predictably gruesome results. Safety design has come a long way since then.
Auto historians have often portrayed the Lifeguard Design program as a sales calamity for Ford, driving customers from the showrooms in droves. However, there is little evidence of that. Ford neither gained nor lost sales volume versus perennial rival Chevrolet in 1956 and following years. It may be more accurate to state that the program never took off in popularity as Ford anticipated. It seems that for the most part, car buyers mainly just tuned out—a very different attitude than today’s consumers.
Nor did the automaker immediately discontinue the safety package after one year, as commonly reported. The Lifeguard Design brand and its features could be found at least through the 1959 model year. However, it can safely be said the company dialed back the fanfare in succeeding years after the initial promotion. So just what is Lifeguard Design? How did it arise, and how did it work, exactly? There is no better explanation than the film—watch.
Was it just a coincidence that the comparison tests showing the wooden block impacting the steering wheel just happened to show the wheel from a contemporary Chevrolet vs. one from a Ford. Never pass an opportunity to put your own product in a favorable light as compared to your main competition.
Prior to retirement, I spent nearly 40 years working for a state highway department where my job required covering many miles daily in state vehicles. Not sure when the national seat belt requirement was signed into law, but I sure remember a lot of grousing about it amongst the employees.
The department unit I was assigned to was made up of about 50% guys who lived in the major urban area of the city, while the other 50% was comprised of those who commuted about 50 miles one way from a rural area with a couple of very small towns.
I remember the differences in attitude between these two groups when the order came down from our department head concerning the mandatory use of seat belts. It’s not that anyone was all that happy about it, but the guys from the city grudgingly came to accept that wearing seat belts was now a way of life – at least, when you were riding in a state vehicle.
The guys from the rural area were not nearly so accepting of this. They objected loudly, and the great majority of them never did comply voluntarily with the seat belt requirement. I’m still friends with some of them to this day, (most are now enjoying retirement) and most of the ones that I am still in contact with will not use seat belts in their personal vehicles. One guy gets in my truck, grabs the seat belt, pulls it across as if to latch it, then just holds it with his hand.
Fools the cops that way, or thinks he does. He does not believe in seat belt use to this day.
He might change his mind IF he ever survived a collision.
Your problem in this scenario of just holding the belt, is that he becomes a projectile inside your car. If he hits you during the event of an accident, imagine the crush of 150+ pounds on you. Worse is if their head hits your head, your both in trouble then.
I want the Viccy!
Antiburst door catches should have been mandatory far earlier than what they were, as should have been seat belts. Though I have never been a fan of lap belts alone. Lap sash though were available even then and were a dealer fit option even then.
I have no idea why Americans are so averse to wearing them, has been law here in Oz for 50 years and most cars were manufactured with anchor points [front seats] for longer.
Seat belt laws might be considered in the same vein as helmet laws.