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A Potted Seat Belt History

1930's
Several U.S. physicians equip their own cars with lap belts and begin urging manufacturers to provide them in all new cars
1954
Sports Car Club of America requires competing drivers to wear lap belts
1955
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) appoints Motor Vehicle Seat Belt Committee
1956
Volvo markets 2-point cross-chest diagonal belt as accessory
Ford and Chrysler offer lap belts in front as option on some models
Ford begins 2-year ad campaign based on safety, focusing heavily on belts
1957
Volvo provides anchors for 2-point diagonal belts in front
1958
Nils Bohlin, a design engineer with Volvo in Sweden, patents the "Basics of Proper Restraint Systems for Car Occupants," better known as a three-point safey belt. The device comprises two straps, a lap strap and shoulder strap. **
Volvo provides anchors for 2-point diagonal belts in rear
1959
Volvo introduces 3-point belt in front as standard, in Sweden
1961
SAE issues standard for U.S. seat belts (J4)
Standards Association of Australia issues standard for "safety belts and harness assemblies"
1962
U.S. manufacturers provide seat belt anchors in front outboard as standard
1963
Volvo introduces 3-point belt in front as standard, in USA
SAE issues revised standard (J4a)
1964
Most U.S. manufactures provide lap belts at front outboard seat positions
Victoria and South Australia require seat belt anchorages at front outboard positions in new cars (either 2- or 3-point permitted)
1965
U.S. Commerce Dept. issues first seat belt standard (adopted SAE standard)
SAE issues revised standard (J4c)
Some U.S. manufacturers provide automatic locking retractors (ALRs) in front seat belts
1966
Swedish regulations prohibit 2-point cross-chest diagonal belt at seats next to a door, and Y-type of 3-point belt altogether
U.S. Commerce Dept. issues revised seat belt standard (SAE j4c)
Sports Car Club of America requires competing drivers to wear a shoulder harness as well as a lap belt (perhaps 1967, according to ref. 131)
1967
Society of Automotive Engineers study at UCLA leads to calls for two-point seat belts, highback seats and other occupant protection strategies for school buses.
Volvo introduces 3-point belt in rear as standard, certain markets
Great Britain requires 3-points in front outboard positions
Australian standard for belt anchorages issued
South Australia requires seat belts (lap belts OK) at front outboard positions
1968
Volvo provides emergency locking retractors (ELRs) as standard in front, in Sweden
Great Britain requires retrofit of 3-point belts in front in MY 65 and newer cars
Many U.S. cars this MY provide ELRs. 3 point harness is now legislation in the US.
1969
Sweden requires 3-point belts of approved type in front seats.
Volvo provides 3-point belt in rear as standard, all markets
Mercedes-Benz adds 3-point belt in rear outboard seats as standard, all markets
Japan requires seat belts, front and rear
Australia requires 3-point belts, front outboard seats, all cars registered since 1965
1970
Sweden requires belts in rear (diagonal and static allowed; lap-only not approved)
Victoria, Australia requires 3-point belts, front and rear and mandates use, front and rear
1971
Volvo provides ELRs as standard in rear, all markets
NHTSA amends FMVSS 208 to require passive restraints in front, to be effective 1973
New South Wales requires use of seat belts
1972
Volvo introduces adjustable B-post anchor point (not standard) to permit better fitting of shoulder portion of front lap/shoulder belts
Last Australian state law requiring belt use, front and rear, goes into effect 1/1
New Zealand requires belt use, front and rear
W. Germany requires 3-point belts, front and rear
NHTSA requires anchorages for (detachable) shoulder straps for rear outboard (FMVSS 210)
VW displays 3-point belt system with webbing pre-tensioner (Transport 72, Washington, D.C.)
1973
Mercedes-Benz provides ELR on 3-point belts in large ("S" class) cars
1974
Mercedes-Benz provides ELR on 3-point belts in midsize (300 Series) cars
Sweden requires ELR on belts in front seats
NHTSA requires 3-point belts (i.e., non-detachable shoulder straps) in front outboard positions
U.S. cars provide "vehicle-sensitive" ELRs in front outboard shoulder belts (lap belt portion has ALR)
1975
Sweden requires 3-point, ELR belts in rear; mandates front use by persons 15 and older
(In Sweden the effect of the past couple of years requirements is to half the number of serious injuries from accidents.)
1979
France mandates seat belts in rear: either 3 lap belts or 3-points at outboard positions and lap belt at center (most manufacturers choose later option)
New Zealand requires 3-point belts, front and rear outboard positions
1980
Mercedes-Benz provides driver side airbag and knee bolster, and pre-tensioner an all 3-point belts
1981
NHTSA rescinds requirements for eventual installation of passive restraint systems
1983
Saab introduces 3-point in rear in all models sold in U.S. (had provided "for years" in Scandinavia and Europe)
1984
Austria makes belt use mandatory in rear for cars with vehicle approval after 1/84 (front seat use mandatory since 7/76)
W. Germany makes rear seat belt use mandatory in cars manufactured since 5/79 (mandatory use in front since 1/76)
Seven of Canada's 10 provinces by this time require occupants of moving vehicles to use whatever set belt system is available to them
1985
Nova Scotia makes belt use mandatory, front and rear
Norway makes rear seat belt use mandatory in vehicles registered after 1/84 (front seat use mandatory since 9/75)
New York makes belt use mandatory, front and rear (in rear for persons 10 years or older)
Mercedes-Benz introduces driver side air bag with knee bolster (in addition to pre-tensioned 3-point belts) in U.S. market
1995
Great Britain requires seat belts on mini buses used in school transportation
1996
Economic Commission of Europe approves amendments to three directives relating to: [1] seat belts, [2] seat belt anchorages, and [3] seat strength for Minibuses and Medium and Large Coaches. Requires 3-point seat belts in all seating positions of minibuses (vehicles of less than 3.5 tonnes) and at least 2- point belts.