The Evolution of Seatbelts

The Evolution of Seatbelts...
The first seat belts were installed by auto manufacturers in the 1950s, but adoption of seat belt usage remained very low until the early 1980s when seat belt use laws began passing in more states. Even today seat belt laws vary from state to state, but overall usage has greatly increased nationally. Early Seat Belts Seat belts first appeared in American cars in the early 1900s, but they were used to keep passengers from falling out of the car and not so much for safety during an accident. There weren't many cars on the roads at the time, and with lower speeds, accidents weren't a big concern. Seat belts September 2014
were later added to airplanes and then to racecars in the 1920s and 1930s. Developments in the 1950s In 1950, American automaker Nash emerged with the first factory‐installed lap belt which consisted of a single belt that stretched across your lap. In 1954, the Sports Car Club of America began requiring competing drivers to wear lap belts. In 1956, Volvo introduced a two‐point cross‐chest diagonal belt. In 1958, Volvo developed a three‐
point safety belt with straps based on harnesses used by military pilots. The following year, the three‐point belt became standard for all Volvos built in Sweden. Developments in the 1960s In 1962, U.S. carmakers required seat belt anchors to be standard in the front seat. In 1963, Volvo expanded its three‐point safety belt as a standard on cars sold in the United States as well. By the following year, most U.S. manufacturers provided lap belts in the front seat. In 1967, seat belts become standard for all cars built in the United Kingdom. The Highway Safety Act and the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act were passed in 1966. Graeves Auto & Appliance
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They authorized the federal government to regulate vehicle and highway standards and created the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This led to many improvements in auto design, including mandatory installation of seat belts. In 1970, the NHTSA reported that motor vehicle‐‐related deaths had significantly decreased. Fast Forward Requiring that manufacturers install seat belts in cars did not ensure that people used them. For the next 20 years, the auto industry and federal governments campaigned for seat belt laws to be passed in all 50 states. By 1995, every state except New Hampshire passed legislation mandating seat belt use. In 2002, 19 states had primary enforcement seat belt laws, which enable police officers to ticket a driver solely for lack of wearing a seat belt. The NHTSA reports that fatality rates of motor‐vehicle accidents have dramatically reduced since the enactment of seat belt laws by state legislatures.  Car Care "Tip of the Month"
A Full Car is a Happy Car! Keeping a full tank keeps your car healthy. Experts that are familiar with the common fuel injection system will tell you that running out of gas can cause serious fuel line problems ‐ and that running low can also lead to problems. Running out of gas in a fuel injected car can allow small particles of dirt and rust that are concentrated at the bottom of the gas tank to be sucked up by the fuel pump. Some of that dirt can work its way past the fuel filter, into the injectors. A clean fuel filter and new filtration technologies can help to minimize the dangers of running consistently low on gas, but why take a chance... Did You Know? REMINDER... School Is Back In Session Please Drive Carefully! The 5th Marx brother, Gummo (Milton), was the only one who did not appear in any of the Marx Brothers' films. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ An elephant's tusks are actually teeth. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ New York City is made up of 5 boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens. Graeves Auto & Appliance is a
Certified American Car Care Center
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September 2014
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September 2014
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