Car makers responded to pressure from insurance safety institute
Car makers are finally getting better at reminding people to wear seat belts after years of looser policies.
The problem
- Lots of people die in car crashes because they don't wear seat belts.
- Many people forget or don't bother to buckle up, especially on short trips.
- Old seat belt reminders were too quiet and didn't last long enough, so people ignored them.
The solution
- A safety group called IIHS started giving cars good or bad ratings based on their seat belt reminders.
- To get a good rating, cars need to have loud and long reminders for all seats.
- Car makers quickly improved their seat belt reminders to get good ratings.
The result
- Most new cars now have much better seat belt reminders.
- These reminders can help save thousands of lives every year!
How it happened
Back in 2022, theInsurance Institute for Highway Safety began rating each model's performance.
The first year, only 17% of the new models tested earned a good rating, while 65% were rated marginal or poor. But manufacturers have already flipped those numbers. Sixty-two percent of the 2024 models tested so far are rated good, while only 24% are rated marginal or poor.
Automakers can boost a vehicles performance in this test with just some small software changes, IIHS President David Harkey said. These easy tweaks can have a big impact on safety.
Eighteen vehicles with seat belt reminders that previously fell short recently earned good ratings from IIHS for their latest models.
Eight models were previously rated poor, which means they only included a brief reminder for the driver seat. Seven more were rated marginal due to reminders that werent long enough or loud enough. Three others were rated acceptable, which means they met the requirements for the front-row seating positions but not for the second row.
Seat belt reminder ratings: assorted vehicles
| Acura MDX | 2025 model | G | 2023-24 model | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Escape | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | P |
| Ford Expedition | 2024 model | G | 2023 model | A |
| Ford Maverick | 2023-24 model | G | 2022 model | P |
| Honda CR-V | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | P |
| Honda HR-V | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | P |
| Honda Odyssey | 2025 model | G | 2023-24 model | P |
| Honda Pilot | 2023-25 model | G | 2022 model | P |
| Hyundai Tucson | 2024 model | G | 2022-23 model | A |
| Mazda CX-5 | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | M |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | 2023-24 model | G | 2022 model | M |
| Nissan Altima | 2023-24 model | G | 2022 model | A |
| Subaru Crosstrek | 2024 model | G | 2022-23 model | M |
| Toyota RAV4 | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | M |
| Toyota Corolla hatchback | 2023-24 model | G | 2022 model | M |
| Toyota Corolla sedan | 2023-24 model | G | 2022 model | M |
| Toyota Tacoma | 2024 model | G | 2022-23 model | M |
| Volvo XC40 | 2023-24 model | G | 2021-22 model | P |
Key
- Good
- Acceptable
- Marginal
- Poor
More about seat belt safety
Failure to buckle up continues to play a large role in crash deaths. In 2022, only half of those in the front seat and a quarter of those in back were belted during the crashes that killed them.
Many future crash victims could be saved with better seat belt reminders, IIHS research has found.
An IIHS study found that a persistent reminder was much more effective at getting part-time users to buckle up than a minimal reminder and just as effective as a speed-limiting interlock that kept the vehicle speed under 15 mph unless the driver was buckled in.
The math is pretty simple, said David Kidd, the IIHS senior research scientist who led that research as well as the development of the seat belt reminder rating program. We found that an audible reminder that lasts at least 90 seconds increased belt use by around 30%. That means we could save almost 1,600 lives a year if every vehicle on the road was equipped with a good-rated system.
For now, federalregulations specify only that seat belt reminders must include an audible signal that lasts for 4-8 seconds total and a visual alert that lasts at least 60 seconds whenever the drivers seat belt is unbuckled. Such short reminders are easy to ignore.
In contrast, for a good rating from IIHS, vehicles have to have an audible reminder that lasts at least 90 seconds if any of the occupied front seats remains unbuckled, as well as meet volume standards and other conditions. A visual and persistent audible reminder lasting at least 30 seconds that alerts the driver when a belted rear occupant unbuckles is also required.
This rapid progress represents a big win, Harkey said. Making sure everybody uses their seat belt on every trip is a simple way to save lives.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-11 18:02:55
