SAFETY STUDY
Adopted: July 28, 1986
PERFORMANCE OF LAP BELTS
IN 26 FRONTAL CRASHES 
NTSB Number: SS-86/03
NTIS Number: PB86-917006
SYNOPSIS
This study reports on the performance of lap belts in 26 frontal crashes of passenger vehicles investigated by the Safety Board. The report discusses the Board's findings, selected lap belt cases, statistical estimates of seat belt effectiveness, related research on lap belt performance, and Federal regulations and manufacturers practices on motor vehicle seat belts. The report concludes with recommendations to U.S. and foreign manufacturers of passenger vehicles, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to the International Chiefs of Police, and to associations and groups concerned with emergency medicine.

RECOMMENDATIONS

As a result of this safety study, the National Transportation Safety Board made the following recommendations:

to U.S. manufacturers of passenger vehicles:

Provide aftermarket retrofit assemblies for passenger vehicles to convert lap-only belt systems at outboard positions to integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belt systems; make the availability of these retrofit systems widely known to vehicle owners and installation of them as simple and inexpensive as possible. (Class I, Urgent Action) (H-86-38)

Provide, on a voluntary basis, In newly manufactured passenger vehicles, integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belts in all non-front outboard seating positions. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-39)

Cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in determining the technical feasibility of providing lap/shoulder belts at non-outboard seating positions of passenger vehicles, and work toward providing such systems in newly manufactured vehicles at the earliest practicable time. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-40)

to foreign manufacturers of passenger vehicles:

For any passenger vehicles with lap-only belts at outboard positions, provide aftermarket retrofit assemblies to convert these belts to Integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belt systems; make the availability of these retrofit systems widely known to U.S. vehicle owners and Installation of them as simple and Inexpensive as possible. (Class I, Urgent Action) (H-86-41)

Provide, on a voluntary basis, in newly manufactured passenger vehicles that do not already have them, integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belts in all non-front out-board seating positions. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-42)

Cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in determining the technical feasibility of providing lap/shoulder belts at non-outboard seating positions of passenger vehicles, and work toward providing such systems at the earliest practicable time in newly manufactured vehicles sold in the United States. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-43)

to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

Encourage manufacturers of passenger vehicles to provide aftermarket retrofit assemblies to convert lap-only belt systems at outboard positions to integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belt systems; urge manufacturers to make the availability of these retrofit systems widely known to vehicle owners and installation of them as simple and inexpensive as possible. (Class I, Urgent Action) (H-86-44)

Require that lap/shoulder belts be installed at all outboard seating positions in newly manufactured passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States; initiate rulemaking action to this end immediately. (Class I, Urgent Action) (H-86-45)

Until such time as they are required to do so, encourage manufacturers of passenger vehicles to provide, on a voluntary basis in newly manufactured vehicles, integrated, continuous loop, self-storing lap/shoulder belts in all non-front outboard seating positions. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-46)

Determine the feasibility of requiring that 3-point lap/shoulder belts be provided at every seating position in newly manufactured passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States; if found technically feasible, undertake rulemaking to require such lap/shoulder belts. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-47)

to the International Association of Chiefs of Police:

Disseminate information to your members on the possibility for serious head, spine, and internal injuries to motor vehicle crash victims who were using a lap belt; ensure that your members are aware that these injuries, particularly internal injuries induced by lap belt use, may not be apparent for some time, and that it may be prudent even for seemingly uninjured lap belt users to be provided early medical attention by physicians familiar with treatment of trauma. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-48)

to associations and groups concerned with emergency medicine:

Through communication with your organizations members and with other medical personnel, disseminate informed guidance to those called on to treat motor vehicle crash victims concerning the nature, severity, and appropriate handling of injuries that can be sustained by those using belt restraint systems. Ensure that emergency medical personnel receive training on the internal head, and spine injuries that should be suspected in the case of crash victims who were using a lap belt, and the urgency of proper diagnosis and treatment. Encourage those emergency personnel who transport injured crash victims to relate accurate information to hospital emergency room personnel concerning the circumstances of the victim's involvement in the crash (seating location, use or nonuse of seat belt, type of belt used, etc.) (Class II, Priority Action) (H-86-49)