The U.S. Department of Transportation has now announced that all models of light and heavy passenger vehicles will be required to be equipped with rear seat belt alert systems starting at the end of 2027.
The measure aims to increase seat belt usage and reduce the number of fatalities and injuries due to lack of seat belt use in the rear seats of vehicles, which have been rising in the U.S. in recent years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already indicated that the new rule will also require updates to the existing seat belt alert systems for the driver and front passenger.
It is worth noting that the current seat belt alert systems use visual and auditory alerts to encourage the use of that safety device.
The new rule will require a visual alert as soon as the vehicle begins to move, lasting at least 60 seconds, to inform drivers whether the seat belts are being used by rear seat passengers. Additionally, an audiovisual alert will be activated if the rear seat belts are unbuckled by passengers while driving. The NHTSA estimates that the new rule could save about 50 lives and prevent over 500 injuries annually.
It is important to remember that in Europe, the use of seat belt alert systems in rear seats has been mandatory since 2019.
