Brief History Of Seatbelts In The United States

Not only did cars look change but the overall safety of automobiles has made a great change since the first automobile. From the first automobile all the way up to automobiles in the 1960’s didn’t have a mandatory seat belt law and most cars weren’t fitted to have seat belts in them. “All cars today have seat belts or some other restraint system to protect drivers and passengers in case of an accident. Most states now require people to fasten their seatbelts every time they get in their car” (Olney). Since the mid 1990’s most new cars have air bags installed in the vehicle that rapidly inflate from the steering wheel hub, the dashboard, or the doors if the car suddenly stops and is impacted by an object. Before the 1960’s automobiles didn’t

In 1968, a law that required all vehicles to be fitted with seat belts in all designated seating positions. This law has since been modified to require three-point seat belts in outboard seating positions, and finally three-point seat belts in all seating positions. Initially, seat belt use was not compulsory. “New York was the first state to pass a law which required vehicle occupants to wear seat belts, a law that came into effect on December 1, 1984” (Simanaitis, Sacerdote). Since 1990 airbags have also been an important safety feature in new cars which had been proven effective for saving lives during serious car crashes but were also to blame for deaths in some crashes due to the fast deployment of the airbag. “Automobile manufacturer’s installed less powerful airbags in their vehicles and the number of life threatening airbag related injuries was reduced” (Simanaitis,

As cars throughout history began to improve with the modern technology and safety restrictions the prices began to go up due to the cost of manufacturing. “All of the new introduced vehicles feature improved styling and quality, along with more premium features that consumer’s desire, like infotainment screens and advanced safety technology” (Taylor). The biggest change is with newer more fuel efficient engines. “Automakers are required to move the average fuel economy for their fleet of vehicles to 34.1 miles per gallon by 2016 and 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025” (Taylor). Getting there will mean major upgrades in the engines and components of vehicles. As automakers pack more content into new cars, they're finding people are more willing to trade down into smaller and less expensive cars. No one questions that today’s cars are superior in quality, durability, and safety. “But modern vehicles are more efficient, faster, and safer and have the ability to receive more than just AM/FM radio stations. The new car also comes equipped with a boatload of standard and optional equipment that wasn’t readily available in earlier times, including power windows, seats, and locks, remote locking, cruise control, and tilting and telescoping steering wheel. Government regulations and customer demands have also led to huge gains in safety accompanied by technology and higher prices. Air bags, anti-lock braking, adaptive