There was a time when you would pile as many kids as would fit in the back of the pickup truck, stuff a few leftovers in the cab and head on down the highway, thinking everything is fine. I recall getting ready to head out for the family summer vacation in the station wagon, with the back seats down, a twin-sized mattress placed in the back and my brother and sisters fighting over who got to lie where. Seatbelts? Who needs seatbelts?
In 1964 the federal government required all passenger vehicles manufactured in the United States to have safety belts installed in the front seat of the vehicle. In 1968 the rule was modified to require seat belts to be installed in pickup trucks and in the rear seats of all passenger vehicles. We did not have laws that required that we wear the safety belts, only that they were available. Beginning in 1986 you were required to wear a safety belt here in California.
Initially, lap belts (two-point restraint) were pretty much all that was installed in your vehicle. In the late ’60s the shoulder harness (three-point restraint) was introduced. This was generally the belt that was bolted to the headliner and had a separate buckle and latch. Most folks would keep it rolled up and stuffed into the metal clip that held it in place when not in use (most of the time). The next thing you knew, you were being hit on the side of the head with that darn buckle. And, don’t forget, you would finally get the shoulder belt adjusted and then you couldn’t reach the emergency brake release or radio control knobs. The retractor was introduced. Yes, those good ol’ days!
During the early years of motor vehicle travel, prior to safety belts being required, tens of thousands of motorists were killed in crashes every year. Those big American made automobiles sustained little damage (heavy steel, fenders, bumpers, no safety glass in the windshields), but the passengers were not so lucky. Today’s vehicles are designed to absorb those crash forces to make the collision more survivable.
In every crash there are three separate collisions. First, it’s your vehicle vs. another vehicle, a tree, a guardrail. Second, it’s your body vs. something inside your vehicle (hopefully it’s your safety belt and or airbag and not the dashboard), steering wheel or windshield. Third, and generally the one that does you in, is the internal collision. Your internal body parts – heart, lungs, kidneys, brain – colliding within your body.
What is the purpose of the safety belt? To prevent you from being ejected from the vehicle. You are four times more likely to die and 14 times more likely to sustain serious injury if you are ejected during a collision.
Safety belt systems are generally designed for adults, not small children. Child passenger safety is a whole separate topic, which I will address in another safety article.
The basic law is simple. When you are riding in a passenger car, motor home, pickup truck, motor truck, pretty much anything other than a motorcycle, you are required to wear a safety belt. Yes, I mentioned motor homes specifically. When traveling in a motor home, everyone must remain seat-belted, not walking down the hall to use the restroom, or lying on the bed, taking a nap. When a crash occurs, everyone needs to be secured properly and lawfully. Limousines are not exempt. Buckle up!
Using a safety belt and ensuring that everyone riding in your vehicle is wearing one properly is not only the law, it’s the right thing to do!
Monty Hight is a retired California Highway Patrol officer and Public Information Officer. He is the North State AVOID Campaign’s Public Information Officer. He lives in Redding. More information on AVOID can be found here.
