When Were Car Seatbelts Invented?

Fifty years ago, cars didn’t have seatbelts. Drivers and passengers were driving around very vulnerable in their cars. Today, seatbelts are a game changer when it comes to accident safety. Securing people in their seats is paramount, and they were a welcome invention and have become mandatory for drivers.

But when were seatbelts invented?

According to this report, “seat belt use is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes as more than half (range from 53% – 59%) of (people) aged 13 – 44 years who died in crashes in 2014 were unrestrained at the time of the crash. 

When Were Seatbelts Invented?

However, some form of seat belt has existed since the late 1800s. Gliders and horse-drawn cabs used straps to secure passengers. In addition, lap belts were used in early racer models as well as many classic cars from the ’40s and ’50s.

Then in 1959, the three-point seat belt as we know it was born. Once an engineer who designed ejector seats for Saab aircraft, Nils Bohlin was hired by Volvo Car Corporation. In the wake of the death of a relative in an automobile accident, Volvo CEO Gunnar Engelau felt motivated to make changes. He knew the company should increase its safety measures.

How did Bohlin Design the Three-point Safety Belt?

Already familiar with the four-point harness of aeroplane seating at the time, Nils Bohlin began brainstorming. He knew he would have to make some simple alterations to seatbelt design in automobiles.

The three-point product of his intelligent mind would secure both the lower and upper bodies. With a lap belt and chest belt anchored in three strategic places, drivers were now exponentially safer than ever before.

When Did Seatbelts Become Standard?

Seatbelts became popular both as upgrades and accessories. Apparently, even fuel stations used to sell them. But there were better ways to protect the public.

In 1966, vehicle standards regarding seatbelts were implemented in the US that said all cars manufactured and sold were required to have seatbelts. Over the next decade, seatbelts became a global safety phenomenon.

How Many Did It Save? 

When Bohlin passed away in 2002, Volvo estimated that the seat belt had saved more than one million lives in the four decades since its introduction. Quite a feat for a simple strap.

Today, seatbelts save around 15,000 lives a year. Seatbelts truly do save lives. Thanks to the innovative ideas of these people in the 50s, we now drive “buckled up for safety.”

Conclusion

It’s interesting to know that about 50+ years ago, nobody knew anything concerning seatbelts. But today, seatbelts are in all cars manufactured today and have become mandatory by the laws of every country.