New vehicle rule requiring alarm if seat belts aren’t used go into effect in 2027
DETROIT (AP):All new passenger cars in the United States will be required to emit a warning if passengers in the back seat fail to buckle up starting in September 2027.
The rule, which also mandates more frequent alerts when front seat belts are not worn, was finalized on Monday, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
According to a statement, the government projects that if the new rule is fully implemented, it will avoid 500 injuries and save 50 lives annually.
Passenger cars, lorries, buses (except from school buses), and multipurpose vehicles up to 10,000 pounds will all be subject to the new regulation.
Prior to the requirement, only the driver’s seat needed seat belt warnings. The new regulation also requires outboard front-seat passengers who fail to buckle up to get a warning. Because the NHTSA determined that it would not be cost-effective, front-center seats will not receive a warning. According to the organization, the majority of cars already feature outboard passenger seat warnings.
Additionally, the rule extends the time that the driver’s seat audio and visual warnings are displayed. The front-seat regulations go into effect on September 1st, 2026.
ADDITIONAL:
According to the government, rear passengers routinely utilize seat belts less frequently than front passengers. While rear belt use decreased to almost 82% in 2022, front belt use was slightly less than 92%. According to NHTSA data, over 50% of car passengers who lost their lives in collisions two years ago did not have seat belts on.
In the last two months, the NHTSA has issued two major regulations, the second of which is the seat belt requirement. The EPA included pedestrian protection and driving assistance technology to its five-star car safety ratings in November.
Because President-elect Donald Trump has stated that he opposes new government regulations, safety supporters urge the Department of Transportation, which includes NHTSA, to complete a number of additional rules before the conclusion of the Biden administration.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety President Cathy Chase requested the government to approve technologies to prevent drunk driving and automatic emergency braking for large trucks.
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