Rear Seat Belt Reminders
After more than a decade of persistent advocacy, Kids and Car Safety is celebrating a major vehicle safety milestone as the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized a rule requiring seat belt use warnings for rear seats and enhanced warnings for driver and front passenger seats. Once fully implemented, NHTSA estimates the new rule will prevent over 500 injuries and 50 fatalities annually.
Previously, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS 208) only required seat belt reminders for the driver’s seat. Expanding these protections to all seating positions marks a critical step forward in passenger safety.
Under the new rule, automakers must equip new vehicles with enhanced seat belt warning system requirements for front seat passengers starting September 1, 2026, and for rear seat passengers by September 1, 2027. However, Kids and Car Safety encourages vehicle manufacturers to implement these systems earlier.
