BELT UP IN THE BACK

It is suggested that 300 deaths per year are caused in the UK by rear-seat passengers being unrestrained. There is much evidence for the effectiveness of rear seat belts in reducing injuries, but very few car manufacturers do provide them as standard. Figures are provided for the take up of the rear seat-belt option and found to be low on the list of customer requirements. A review is made of which car manufacturers do provide rear seat-belts and in which models, also of the cost of fitting by the manufacturer or by the customer. The effect of an impact on a rear seat belt occupant is shown diagrammatically. Mention is made of the work carried out by TRRL that showed that the unrestrained rear-seat passenger is found to increase the risk of injury to the front seat passenger and the design Standard for seat backs is briefly discussed. (TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Automobile Association

  Foundation for Road Safety Research, Fanum House
  Basingstoke, Hampshire,   England 
• Publication Date: 1985-2

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 10-14
• Serial:
  • DRIVE
  • Issue Number: 115

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile industry; Consumers; Costs; Crash tests; Crashes; Fatalities; Front seat occupants; Impact studies; Injuries; Manual safety belts; Manufactures; Measurement; Measures of effectiveness; Rear seat occupants; Seat belts; Vehicle occupants; Vehicle rear end
• Uncontrolled Terms: Effectiveness; Rear
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 1631: Collision; 224: Cost; 9112: Impact study; 2163: Injury; 3647: Manufacture; 9067: Rear; 1476: Safety belt; 8119: United Kingdom; 1715: Vehicle occupant
• Subject Areas: Finance; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395537
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1985 12:00AM