[RahulNagaraj]

According to reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new rule that could make seatbelt reminders for rear seats of new vehicles mandatory.



NHTSA states that while seatbelt reminders are mandatory for drivers, they aren't required for other passengers. However, by formalising the rules and implementing them in more seats, they could have a better impact on vehicle occupant safety. They estimate that the implementation of the new proposed rule could help save up to 100 lives and prevent 300 non-fatal injuries per year. The agency also claims that the risk of fatality for rear passengers wearing seatbelts is reduced by 55% in cars and by 74% in trucks and vans.

Ann Carlson, NHTSA Acting Administrator, stated, "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."

The new proposal also requires vehicles to feature a visual warning that lasts 60 seconds after vehicle startup. There will also be an audiovisual change-of-status warning for 30 seconds if the rear seatbelts are unbuckled when the vehicle is still in operation. Automakers though would be given the freedom to adjust the warning signal characteristics. The rules are said to apply to US passenger cars, trucks, buses and other multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross weight of 4,536 kg or less.

Source: CarScoops

Link to Team-BHP news

[Small Bot]

I hope that the powers-that-be adopt this for India as well. At least that way, I can force the senior folks in the family to wear seatbelts in the rear, saying I'll be penalised if they don't.

[antz.bin]

The way Maruti has implemented it will help the angel of death win 50 of those back (thanks to their 50% market share)

Didn't realise this was a US study. It will be a lot more than 50 in case of India.

[inwester]

A welcome move. 3 point seat belts and reminders (not the Maruti type ) should be mandatory in all vehicles in this day and age, whether its USA or India.

Btw, its funny (or not) that there is still a state in the US that doesn't require adults to wear seat belts. And I'm not talking rear seats!

That would be New Hampshire. Perhaps they take their official state motto too literally. i.e. "Live Free or Die"!!

Apart from that, most states in the US (about 70%) nowadays require all adults (and kids older than a certain age) to buckle up in front and rear.

[DicKy]

Have been meaning to ask this question or even create a thread for the same, guess this will be an appropriate place to ask.

Rear seatbelt comfort

Has anyone else felt that in most cars, especially smaller cars and those not made for international markets have rear seatbelts positioned in such a way that it is always uncomfortable. I am 5.8" and I always feel that the rear seatbelt is passing too close to the collar bone and scraping the neck than the ideal place between the collarbone and shoulder. For shorter people it is even worse with the seatbelts closer to the neck. Heck, even if one is willing to wear the rear seatbelts, the constant pressure on the collarbone and neck scraping means one will remove the seatbelt. Though in larger full size (int'l) sedans and big MPV/SUVs it was not a cause of irritation. Maybe the seatbelts coming from the C pillars is ideal than those coming from the seat back?

Was disillusioned for sometime and even now by seatbelt usage, ever since I saw an old British awareness video that no matter whether you wear the seatbelt, in event of a crash there will be an unrestrained 200kg+ worth of weight crashing into your back to kill you.

Seatbelt warnings (not the crappy Maruti way) and rules make it easier for us to make people wear rear seatbelts l. Just hope that manufacturers do something about the rear seatbelt positioning too for comfort and safety.

[GTO]

Just 100? No way. It will be a lot more than that. I reckon, the number will be well into the 4 digits for the USA....as well as India.

Too many people have been injured seriously or fatally due to not wearing rear seatbelts. Even personalities like Cyrus Mistry, Princess Diana, Jaspal Bhatti (IIRC, Honda Accord, no rear seatbelt, internal head injuries), Hema Malini (injured, no seatbelt in an S-Class) etc. etc. Unfortunately, while these accidents got a lot of press coverage, hardly anyone spoke of how they could've avoided death / injury by buckling up at the rear.

Buckling up at the rear saved me from a serious injury, although I did injure my shoulder a bit due to the sheer force (related post). Better a sore shoulder than a broken face or worse.

Maruti's implementation might be lame, but it is well-intentioned. When the market leader does something, everyone else follows. Only a matter of time before weight sensors & rear seatbelt chimes spread across the Indian car scene.