New U.S. vehicles will require Rear seat belt alarms starting September 2027.
NHTSA estimates the rule will save 50 lives annually and prevent 500 injuries.
Front-seat alerts will also be enhanced, with rules taking effect in 2026.
On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that starting September 2027, all new passenger vehicles in the United States (and Canada likely) must include audio and visual seat belt warnings for rear-seat passengers.
The regulation, finalized as part of ongoing safety efforts, applies to passenger cars, trucks, buses (excluding school buses), and multipurpose vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. It expands existing seat belt warning systems, previously required only for drivers, to include other passengers.
Under the new rule, vehicles must also sound alerts for outboard front-seat passengers who do not fasten their seat belts. However, the NHTSA excluded front-center seats from the requirement, citing cost-effectiveness concerns. Many newer vehicles already include front outboard seat belt warnings. Additionally, the rule extends the duration of existing driver seat belt warnings. Front-seat requirements will take effect a year earlier, on September 1, 2026.
According to NHTSA data, rear-seat passengers consistently use seat belts at lower rates than front-seat occupants. In 2022, approximately 92% of front-seat passengers used seat belts, compared to only 82% of those in the rear seats. The agency noted that about half of automobile passengers who died in crashes that year were not wearing seat belts. NHTSA estimates the new rule will save 50 lives annually and prevent 500 injuries once fully implemented.
The rear-seat belt rule is the second significant safety measure introduced by the NHTSA in recent months. In November, the agency updated its five-star vehicle safety rating system to include driver-assistance technologies and pedestrian protection standards.
Safety advocates are urging the Department of Transportation, which oversees NHTSA, to approve additional regulations before President Joe Biden’s term ends. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, emphasized the need for rules requiring automatic emergency braking on heavy trucks and technology to prevent impaired driving.
Source: AP News
