THE CONTROVERSY OVER REAR-SEAT LAP BELTS

The article discusses National Transportation Safety Board studies which say that rear seat lap only belts can kill, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies that say the same belts save lives. Cases where the lap belts did not work are described. The need for rear seat lap/shoulder belts is discused, and the need for further study and a quick resolution of the problem is indicated. Researchers should review the major data bases - FARS (Fatal Accident Reporting System), the National Accident Sampling System - not to defend past mistakes - but to resolve problems such as incomplete reporting methods, sampling error and lack of agreement between systems. NHTSA should amend Safety Standard No. 208, 'Occupant Restraints,' to require 3-point lap/shoulder belts at the rear outboard seating positions and should at least consider such a requirement for all rear seats.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00357189
• Corporate Authors:

  DCI, Incorporated

  Road and Track, 1499 Monrovia Avenue
  Newport Beach, CA  United States  92663
• Authors:
  • TOMERLIN, J
• Publication Date: 1987-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 66-64,
• Serial:
  • Road and Track
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: DCI, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0035-7189

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Databases; Laws; Manual safety belts; Rear seat occupants; Research; Seat belts; Shoulder harnesses
• Identifier Terms: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lap belts
• Old TRIS Terms: Shoulder harness
• Subject Areas: Law; Passenger Transportation; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00496137
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-039 722
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1990 12:00AM