US regulators require seat belt warnings for all passenger seats
What happened
US transportation regulators now require seat belt warning systems for all passenger seats in most new vehicles. This means new cars, trucks, and buses will beep and flash if anyone in the front or back is not buckled up.
Why it matters
For decades, seat belt warnings were mostly for the driver. Now, every passenger seat in a new vehicle must have one. This means car makers must redesign their systems to detect unbuckled passengers in the back, not just the front.
The signal
Watch for the first vehicle models to be released with these new systems, and whether they lead to a measurable increase in rear seat belt use.