Ramtin Arablouei

As glamorous as that may sound, solving the mystery of these grisly car crash deaths mostly involved a lot of reading of very wonky documents. And I mean a lot. Nader sifted through court documents and case law. He dug into a whole series of research studies from Cornell Medical College, funded by Ford, Chrysler, and the Pentagon, that looked into what could make cars safer.

This is a CBS report about that research.

This is a CBS report about that research.

This is a CBS report about that research.

Like any good detective, Nader even pounded the pavement. What he found was that the auto industry knew that it was cars themselves that were unsafe. Doctors and researchers had repeatedly recommended features to add to the cars to make them safe. Seatbelts, padded dash panels, rollover bars. But the carmakers often shied away from putting these features into cars on the market.

Like any good detective, Nader even pounded the pavement. What he found was that the auto industry knew that it was cars themselves that were unsafe. Doctors and researchers had repeatedly recommended features to add to the cars to make them safe. Seatbelts, padded dash panels, rollover bars. But the carmakers often shied away from putting these features into cars on the market.

Like any good detective, Nader even pounded the pavement. What he found was that the auto industry knew that it was cars themselves that were unsafe. Doctors and researchers had repeatedly recommended features to add to the cars to make them safe. Seatbelts, padded dash panels, rollover bars. But the carmakers often shied away from putting these features into cars on the market.

So Nader set out to take down the auto industry. To do that, he knew he was going to need to harness the power of the consumer.

So Nader set out to take down the auto industry. To do that, he knew he was going to need to harness the power of the consumer.

So Nader set out to take down the auto industry. To do that, he knew he was going to need to harness the power of the consumer.

That's President John F. Kennedy speaking in 1962, and he was identifying a powerful new current in American life.

That's President John F. Kennedy speaking in 1962, and he was identifying a powerful new current in American life.

That's President John F. Kennedy speaking in 1962, and he was identifying a powerful new current in American life.

This is Paul Sabin. He's a professor of history and American studies at Yale University.

This is Paul Sabin. He's a professor of history and American studies at Yale University.

This is Paul Sabin. He's a professor of history and American studies at Yale University.

There was a growing call for consumers to take up that charge themselves, and Nader was at the front of the line.

There was a growing call for consumers to take up that charge themselves, and Nader was at the front of the line.

There was a growing call for consumers to take up that charge themselves, and Nader was at the front of the line.

Years later, a government study found that the Corvair wasn't any more dangerous than other similar cars. Nader disputed the study. But by that time, there was no turning back the movement Nader had started. In response to the criticism, GM created a position for coordinator of auto safety. But Nader's book wasn't just about exposing a problem with the Corvair or even with General Motors.