Child Safety and a better seat belt standard
(continued)

"Seat-belt comfort may be on way"
Neck chafing, other complaints studied

"Many people, forced by law and driven by common sense to wear seat belts, find them uncomfortable – so many that Congress ordered federal auto safety officials to consider new standards for the comfort of automobile safety belts.

Barry Felrice, associate administrator for rulemaking of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says a decision on whether to do so will be made within a few weeks – probably after Transportation Secretary Federico Pena and the White House signing off on it…

But the issue is more than a matter of comfort; experts say a seat belt that fits improperly won't protect properly and can even cause injuries, particularly internal ones in children if it rides up onto their abdomen. However, if people get too uncomfortable, they might even choose not to wear seat belts at all.

The impetus for change came from the CARS Foundation, an auto safety group based in Sacramento, Calif., which said complaints came 'especially from elderly women who said their seat belts cut them right across the neck, and from parents.' "

– Newsday, Tom Incantalupo, (precise date not known)

 

"CARS Foundation initiates legislative efforts
for adjustable shoulder harnesses"

"The CARS Foundation, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, and other members of the National Coalition to Prevent Childhood Injuries (NCPCI) have undertaken a letter writing campaign to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Consumer Subcommittee.

The purpose of the letter writing campaign is to request that legislative action be taken to require manufacturers of passenger cars, light trucks, small buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles to install adjustable shoulder belt anchorages, allowing safety belt users (especially children) to alter the height of the shoulder belt for the most comfortable fit. The letter writing strategy was initiated after NHTSA's recent denial of an adjustable shoulder harness petition [filed by the CARS Foundation]."

– National SAFE KIDS Campaign Public Policy Watch, March, 1991