National Seat Belt Day 2023: Date, History, 5 Facts About Seat Belts

National Seat Belt Day 2023: November 14 is observed annually as National Seat Belt Day. Automobile collisions in the United States claim the lives of over 46,000 individuals annually, while an approximate 4.4 million suffer injuries necessitating medical intervention. The aggregate of direct medical expenses exceeds $300 million. The utilization of safety harnesses reduces the likelihood of severe injuries and saves lives. It is an easy action that all individuals, whether in the passenger or driver’s seat, can emulate. The purpose of National Seat Belt Day is to promote seat belt use and increase public awareness.

National Seat Belt Day 2023: History

The use of seat belts dates back to the nineteenth century. The first U.S. patent for safety belts was granted to Edward J. Claghorn, but his invention was not intended for automobiles. Physicians suggested in the 1930s that automobile manufacturers incorporate seat belts into their models. In public transportation such as streetcars, lap harnesses were utilized to prevent passengers from erupting from their seats in the event of an accident.

Nash Rambler was the first automobile in the United States to offer seat belts as a safety feature in 1950, when seat belts were still a novelty. Critics resisted their use despite mounting evidence that they reduced injuries and saved lives, arguing that they were ineffective and could confine passengers in submerged or burning vehicles. Saab was the initial automaker to incorporate seat belts as standard equipment in 1958. Volvo’s first chief safety engineer, Nils Bohlin, patented the three-point seat belt the following year. It was an improvement over the basic two-point seat belt, which occasionally caused more damage than good during collisions.

Following the establishment of the three-point seat belt standard in Sweden, Volvo granted access to the patent for this critical safety feature to other automakers to incorporate into their vehicles. As of 1968, seat belt usage had become mandatory in all vehicles manufactured in the United States. Currently, seat belts are a highly regarded safety feature in automobiles, contributing to the prevention of numerous fatalities and the mitigation of medical expenses amounting to several hundred million dollars.

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5 Facts About Seat Belts

Utilizing seat restraints to prevent fatalities

Using seat belts in the front seat reduces fatalities among passengers and drivers by 45%.

Mitigating severe injuries

The use of seat belts reduces the likelihood of severe injuries by fifty percent.

An increasing number of individuals are donning seat belts.

The use of seat belts has increased from 11% to 85% in the last three decades.

Air cushions are insufficient.

Non-buckled passengers may sustain severe injuries or even fatalities at the hands of an airbag’s force, and airbags do not prevent the ejection of drivers or passengers in the event of an accident.

You possess an impact.

Seat belt use is more prevalent among children whose parents wear seat belts, according to research.

National Seat Belt Day 2023: Date