For many of us, the sound of an alarm telling us to put on our seat belt is an annoyance. You finally put on your seat belt just to stop the sound. Still, the somewhat annoying safety feature could be a lifesaver in the event of an accident. Now the constant chime of a seatbelt alarm could triple when you are carrying back seat passengers. The government is considering a proposal to equip backseats with the same reminders in New York and nationwide.
Seat belt reminders are just one of several safety features created by automobile manufacturers to better protect motorists and their passengers. In the event of a car accident, truck accident, or catastrophic highway collision, the reminder of a seat belt could prevent serious injuries, or save a life.
This may mean that getting your family in the car and buckled up may take a cacophony of alarms, however the benefits would extend to other motorists on the road. According to reports, unbelted passengers can also become projectiles in an accident, increasing the risk of injury or death to other occupants, including the driver.
A handful of cars already alert occupants in the backseat to buckle-up, either with warning sounds or dashboard lights. A highway bill that passed Congress on July 2 calls for providing a warning system designated for passengers in the rear of a vehicle. Details are unclear and the National Highway Safety Administration is in the early stages of establishing performance requirements.
For parents, this may mean you no longer have to remind your children to buckle-up. Your car will do it for you.
Source: Washington Post, “Seat Belt Reminders Could Come to Backseat,” August 1, 2012.