Contact: Shane Austin
[email protected]
202.425.2776
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement on Final Rule to Require Front Passenger Seat and Rear Passenger Seat Belt Reminder Systems on New Passenger Vehicles
(Washington, D.C.-December 16, 2024) Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a Final Rule requiring seat belt use warnings for front passenger seats and rear seats and enhanced warnings for the driver’s seat. The current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 only requires a seat belt warning for the driver’s seat. NHTSA estimates that this rule could prevent over 500 injuries and save about 50 lives and will result in economic benefits of up to $831 million annually.
The rulemaking was required by Congress as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act enacted in 2012 (Pub. L. 112-141). The original deadline set by Congress to issue the rule was October 2015, and Advocates has repeatedly pushed for the Final Rule to be issued.
“Seat belts are the first line of defense for vehicle occupants in a crash. Still, approximately half of all people killed in crashes are not buckled up, and back seat belt use is lower than front seat use. Albeit significantly overdue, today NHTSA brought this lifesaving rule over the finish line and should be commended. Yet at a time of historic high levels of fatalities on our roadways, more must be done to protect all road users. Proven crash avoidance technology should be standard equipment in new cars, and states must enact all-occupant primary enforcement seat belt laws, among other traffic safety laws as recommended in our Roadmap to Safety report. As the report states, ‘You never think it will happen to you…Until it does.’ Commonsense solutions, like this Final Rule on seat belt reminders, must be implemented now.” Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
“Although more than a decade and a half overdue, NHTSA’s new rear seat belt rule is a commonsense measure that will save lives and avert needless injuries. It is a reminder that good auto safety regulation protects us all – and that the problem with the regulatory process at NHTSA and other transportation agencies is that it is too tilted to auto and trucking corporate interests.” Robert Weissman, Co-President, Public Citizen
“The lifesaving power of seat belts is beyond dispute. In this critical area, the government, auto industry, and safety organizations recognize their potential to save lives. We must do everything possible to ensure every passenger is properly restrained on every ride. Issuing this long-overdue statutory requirement will undoubtedly save lives and provide much-needed protection for our most precious passengers—our children—when riding in the back seat.” Janette Fennell, President, Kids and Car Safety
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About Advocates
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, medical, public health, law enforcement and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America’s roads safer. Advocates’ mission is the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that prevent motor vehicle crashes, save lives, reduce injuries, and contain costs.