The U.S. patent for the safety belt was granted to Edward J. Claghorn in 1885, and their use in cars was advocated beginning in the 1920s. Seat belts became common on airplanes before they became common in cars; the first car company to introduce seat belts as a standard was Saab in 1958.
There are several types of seat belts. A lap belt is an adjustable strap that goes over the waist and buckles shut. These are most often seen on airplanes. Three-point belts, on the other hand, can be found in most automobiles. These adjustable belts go across the waist and over the shoulder.
A more complex seat belt can be found in racing cars and child-safety seats. These five-point harness belts include two shoulder straps and a strap connected to a belt between the legs. While these may be safer, they are also significantly more restrictive to the wearer.
Seat-belt legislation varies greatly across the world. In 1964, Victoria and South Australia became the first places to mandate seat-belt installation in new cars. In 1967, the United Kingdom followed suit, requiring that 3-point seat belts be fitted in front seats. On January 1, 1968, the U.S. government passed a federal seat-belt law, requiring seat belts to be fitted in all seating positions in all vehicles (except buses).
Legislation regarding wearing seat belts varies by state. In 1984, New York became the first to pass a law requiring vehicle occupants to wear a seat belt. Forty-nine states currently have either primary or secondary enforcement laws regarding wearing seat belts; New Hampshire is the only state without a law requiring use for adults.
Many cars come outfitted with reminder lights and/or chimes that activate when a seat belt is left unbuckled. When this feature was first introduced, a number of drivers and passengers complained of noise or annoyance, and today, many modern cars have a constant seat-belt reminder for the driver's belt only.
According to Tim Hurd, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Transportation, the safety belt is the most effective way to save your life in a crash, and wearing your seat belt can more than double your chances for survival.
According to the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, 172 lives and nearly $100 million in annual injury and death costs could be saved for every one percent increase in seat-belt use.
One out of four serious injuries to passengers is caused by occupants (at least one of whom is not wearing a seat belt) being thrown into each other.
