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In the late 1950s, a Volvo engineer devised the three-point seat belt we have today. These seat belts secure the chest and hips using a single belt. They became mandatory in all U.S. vehicles in 1968. Estimates by the National Safety Council (NSC) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that seat belts have saved 374,276 lives.

Rear-seated passengers have consistently ranked below front-seat riders in seat belt use. NHTSA statistics show that for rear-seat occupants, seat belts reduce the risk of fatality by 55 percent for passenger cars and 74 percent for light trucks and vans. For front-seat drivers and passengers, seat belts reduce the risk of fatality by 44 percent for passenger cars and 63 percent to 73 percent for light trucks and vans.

Although the seat belt use rate has improved, there are still more than 27 million Americans not buckling up. The NHTSA believes this is not acceptable and proposed a new seat belt warning system for all vehicles. The proposed rule would require automobile manufacturers to equip vehicles with seat belt use warning systems for the right front passenger and rear seats for passenger cars, trucks, most buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less.

NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said, “Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective ways to prevent injury and death in a crash. In 2021, almost 43,000 people lost their lives on America’s roads, and half of those in vehicles were unbelted. This proposed rule can help reduce that number by getting more to buckle up.”

NHTSA’s proposed new rule would amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 209 “Occupant Crash Protection,” which currently requires a seat belt warning for the driver’s seat but not a warning for other seating positions. It would also update the current driver seat belt warning system requirements.

The following is what the NHTSA is proposing:

For Front Seats:

• An audio-visual seat belt use warning for the right front passenger’s seat.
• An audio-visual seat belt use warning for the driver and right-front passenger seat that remains active until both the driver and right-front passenger seat occupants are belted.
• An audio-visual change-of-status warning for both the driver and right-front passenger seats that remains active until the unfastened seat belt is refastened.

For Rear Seats:

• A visual warning on vehicle startup lasting at least 60 seconds to notify the driver of the status of the rear-seat belts.
• An audio-visual change-of-status warning lasting at least 30 seconds if a rear seat belt is unbuckled while the vehicle is in operation.

The proposed NHTSA rule seeks to establish an industry-wide consistency to improve seat belt use and save lives. It is estimated that the rule’s requirements could prevent approximately 300 non-fatal injuries and over 100 fatalities each year. 

Florida Personal Injury Attorney Assists Accident Victims

"We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. encourage everyone to wear seat belts, including those in the rear seats,” said Florida Personal Injury Attorney Randall Spivey.

Attorney Randall Spivey is ready to assist seriously injured accident victims 24/7 with a well-qualified legal team, including investigators, consultants, attorneys, paralegals, and medical experts.

The firm represents people involved in numerous types of personal injury and wrongful death accidents throughout the state of Florida. All of the firm’s clients have unique personal injury cases for which the firm provides personal contact and communication along with aggressive representation.

Should you or a loved one be injured because of the negligence of another, please contact Spivey Law at 239.337.7483, toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or online at SpiveyLaw.com. There are no costs or attorney fees until the firm receives a monetary recovery for you.