The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a rule requiring passenger vehicles to include seat belt warning systems for all
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a rule requiring passenger vehicles to include seat belt warning systems for all seating positions, starting in September 2027. Previously, these alerts were only mandatory for the driver’s seat. The rule, which applies to cars, trucks, buses under 10,000 pounds, and multipurpose vehicles, aims to increase seat belt usage and improve road safety.
Under the new mandate, automakers must implement visual and audible alerts for unbuckled front and rear passengers. While many vehicles already feature such warnings for front outboard seats, they will now be standardized across the industry. The updated requirements also extend the duration of driver’s seat belt alerts. Vehicles have until September 1, 2026 to comply with the front seat provisions and until September 1, 2027 for the rear seat components.
The NHTSA projects that this rule will save approximately 50 lives and prevent roughly 500 injuries each year once fully implemented. The measure is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to boost seat belt compliance and mitigate the impact of crashes. However, the rule stops short of requiring alerts for front-center seats, as the NHTSA determined that the costs would outweigh the safety benefits in this case.
In summary, the new NHTSA rule significantly expands seat belt warning requirements, marking an important step forward in vehicle safety standards. As automakers work to implement these alerts over the next few years, the agency anticipates meaningful reductions in preventable crash fatalities and injuries.
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