Interesting discussion relating to the liability aspects of exit row briefings. Certainly, it would appear that there are lawyers out there looking to capitalize on incidents and accidents that may choose to explore this as yet another source of revenue.
The only published work relating to this topic that I am aware of is an article found in the
Journal of Air Law and Commerce from 2003 titled
Taking exit row seating seriously. However, the article was looking more at the fact that most passengers in exit rows ignore the safety information presented to them (either by way of briefing, placard or safety features card) and the potential legal implications for the passenger. The author suggested that,
"...holding exit row passengers liable for damages resulting from their inattention to safety materials would deter exit row passengers from ignoring safety information and compensate those victims harmed..." (Gerwick, 2003).
Putting aside for the moment the supposed legal implications, there are many years of safety studies that have demonstrated the importance of safety briefings in successful evacuations.
NTSB/SS-85/09, Safety Study – Airline Passenger Safety Education: A Review of Methods Used to Present Safety Information
NTSB/SS-00/01, Safety Study – Emergency Evacuation of Commercial Airplanes
TSB SA9501 A Safety Study of Evacuations of Large, Passenger-Carrying Aircraft
DOT/FAA/AM - Access-to-egress I: Interactive effects of factors that control the emergency evacuation of naïve passengers through the transport airplane Type-III overwing exit
CAAP 253-2(0) Passenger safety information: Guidelines on content and standard of safety information to be provided to passengers by aircraft operators
CBAAC 0181 - Passenger Seating Requirements
CBAAC 0188 - Passenger Safety Briefings
FODCOM 22/2001 - Briefing of Passengers at Type III Emergency Exits
INCREASING THE SURVIVAL RATE IN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS impact protection, fire survivability and evacuation
FSA Aug 2005 - "EVACUATE. EVACUATE. EVACUATE."
FSF Cabin Crew Safety - Many Passengers in Exit Seats Benefit From Additional Briefings
FAR 121.585 - Exit Seating
AC 121-24C - Passenger Safety Information Briefing and Briefing Cards