An accelerometer is provided which is suitably rugged for use in on-board automotive safety control and navigational systems. The preferred thick film accelerometer is formed from an alumina substrate having an integrally formed U-shaped flexure member which surrounds an intermediate support member. A mass is provided on the unsupported end of the U-shaped flexure member. Deflection is maximum at the unsupported end of the U-shaped flexure member, while strain is maximum at the supported end of the flexure member. Four piezoresistors for detecting the strain within the flexure member corresponding to the acceleration in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the support member are provided on the U-shaped flexure member adjacent its supported ends. The four piezoresistors form a Wheatstone bridge, whose analog output voltage is conditioned and amplified to provide the output signal. The signal conditioning and amplifying circuitry are preferably located on the support member. The preferred accelerometer package further contains integrally formed means for preventing excessive deflection of the mass past a predetermined distance.