FACIAL LACERATIONS FROM HEAD IMPACT TO THE NEW AUTOMOBILE WINDSHIELD ARE MARKEDLY REDUCED IN NUMBER, EXTENT, AND SEVERITY. PREVIOUSLY, WHEN THE PRE-1966 THINNER LAMINATE WINDSHIELD WAS IMPACTED BY THE HEAD, SLICING LACERATIONS WERE TYPICALLY FOUND. HEAD IMPACT TO THE NEW WINDSHIELD WILL TYPICALLY PRODUCE ABRASIONS AND SMALL LACERATIONS OF THE FOREHEAD AND NOSE THAT OFTEN DO NOT REQUIRE SURGICAL CLOSURE. ONLY RARELY IS THE LAMINATE OF THE NEW WINDSHIELD TORN. WHEN THIS DOES OCCUR, THE HEAD-TO-GLASS IMPACT SPEED IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT REQUIRED TO PERFORATE THE OLD THIN LAMINATE WINDSHIELD. IN THOSE FEW CASES WHERE THE THICKER LAMINATE IS TORN BY THE HEAD, SLICING LACERATIONS ARE SUSTAINED; BUT THESE TEND TO BE LESS EXTENSIVE AND LESS SEVERE THAN THOSE PREVIOUSLY NOTED ON THE OLD TYPE OF WINDSHIELD. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE INCIDENCE OF INTRACRANIAL OR NECK INJURY IS INCREASED BY STRIKING THE NEW WINDSHIELD. /SRIS/