With the issuance of the "passive restraint" standard (FMVSS 208) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it was assumed that it would be only a brief period of time (1975 model year) before passive restraints would be standard equipment in passenger cars. As an interim system, the 3-point restraint-starter interlock system was approved. The intent of the system was to not only provide the two outboard front seat occupants with lap/shoulder belt protection, but also to require that these two occupants wear the restraints in order to operate the car. The starter interlock restraint system has now been in production and those passenger cars so equipped have been in accidents. In some instances the restraints have been worn, while in others the systems have been defeated or by-passed. This paper presents several 1974 passenger car crash cases to illustrate the effectiveness of the starter-interlock restraint system on injury severity reduction.