Seat Belts

[Tyler T.]

What year was the first year that seat belts were an option and what year was the first year of all cars had them?

[John H.]

Re: Seat Belts

What year was the first year that seat belts were an option and what year was the first year of all cars had them?

Tyler -

For Corvettes, 1958 was the first year for factory standard equipment seat belts (although '56-'57's had the anchors, for dealer belt installation). Passenger cars were much later - someone else will have that date.

[Bob R.]

Re: Seat Belts

I believe Chevrolet starting putting seat belts in all of their cars in 1964. I had a 63 Impala and it did not have seat belts. My dad bought a new 1964 Biscayne and it came with seat belts. My dad never ordered options so they must have been standard equipment.

[Lawrence M.]

Re: Seat Belts

The Feds mandated manufacturers install belts between 1966 and 1968, I do not remember the exact year. The belts had to be installed in cars back to the 1961 or 1962 model year. On the owners dime of course. I remember we did not have to install them in my mothers 1960 Impala, but we did have to put them in my Grandfathers 1962 Dodge Dart.

[Steven B.]

Re: Seat Belts

Our new '64 Impala came with belts from assembly, the two 62's we had did not and neither did a friend's '63. Also, as stated,
'56 and '57 Corvettes came from STL with brackets. Steve

[Joe R.]

Re: Seat Belts

I believe Chevrolet starting putting seat belts in all of their cars in 1964. I had a 63 Impala and it did not have seat belts. My dad bought a new 1964 Biscayne and it came with seat belts. My dad never ordered options so they must have been standard equipment.

Bob,

Maybe trucks are not the same deal as cars, but I inherited my Grandma's 65 C10 long bed. It did not have any seat belts when I got it. I added them. I guess it's possible my grandparents removed them, but probably not very likely.

Joe

[John L.]

Re: Seat Belts

The 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire that my Dad purchased new and still in the family does not have seat belts, for that reason my wife will not drive in it, tells me its unsafe!

[Walter F.]

Re: Seat Belts

The real pain was when in 68 every car had to have sholder belts. No one wanted to wear them and manufactuers had a clip you could put the belt on to keep it out of the way. I think that and the colapsiblle steering column were manitory about the same time. I know the early C2s did not have a collapsible steering wheel because we had a family member who owned a early stingray coupe, feel asleep and hit a tree. The wheel hit him in the chin and the battery almost took off his knee cap. I think he had a steel jaw after that. Great as those early Corvettes were they were far from safe.

[Jim L.]

Re: Seat Belts

I believe Chevrolet starting putting seat belts in all of their cars in 1964.

This is correct. Beginning in '62, the passenger cars came from the factory with anchors for owner-supplied belts.

Jim

[Dave B.]

Re: Seat Belts

I believe it was the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act enacted in October, 1966 that resulted in mandatory seat belts in cars. Vehicles (agent of injury) were built with new safety features, including head rests, energy-absorbing steering wheels, shatter-resistant windshields, and safety belts.

[John C.]

Re: Seat Belts

The below link goes to a pretty good history of seat belt laws for cars. It is interesting to note that it was state laws that forced the introduction of seat belts before the Fed's got involved.

http://stnonline.com/resources/seat-belts/the-history-of-seat-belt-development