There are plenty of slogans when it comes to seat belt safety, and soon, the idea of 'click it or ticket' is going to become even more important.
New rulings state that all U.S. vehicles will soon have to include alarm systems for passengers who aren't buckling up on every trip.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), vehicle crashes are the leading death for Americans aged 54 and under, with Youth for Road Safety claiming that seat belts save around 15,000 lives a year.
Still, young drivers under the age of 34 are least likely to wear a safety belt.
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When you look at stats from the Traffic Safety Marketing website and the idea that an American dies every 47 minutes simply by not wearing a seat belt, it's no surprise that regulations are being enforced.
On December 16, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized the new rule, reiterating that enhanced seat belt warnings will also be required when those in the front aren't wearing them.
Belt usage is said to be at around 92% in the front of cars, while it dips to 82% in the rear. Now, the NHTSA estimates that 500 injuries and 50 fatalities a year could be prevented by the new ruling.
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As of September 2027, all new U.S. passenger vehicles are required to sound a warning if passengers in the rear aren't wearing a seat belt.
This is in contrast to the current system where alarms are only mandatory for drivers not wearing their seat belts.
There are also changes for driver warnings, and coming into force from September 1, 2026, longer audio and visual alters are required.
Although most vehicles already have warnings in place for front passenger seats, it's due to be rolled out to all vehicles. It comes after NHTSA data claims half of fatal automobile crashes involved passengers not wearing safety belts.
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The new alarm system applies to all passenger cars, trucks, and buses (excluding) school buses, as well as multipurpose vehicles that up to 10,000 pounds.
Under the latest requirements, a visual alert has to show drivers which seat is occupied for at least 60 seconds.
An audio alert is required for at least 30 seconds if a belt isn't fastened and a vehicle is moving.
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An alert system also has to be automatically activated or managed with an electrical connection for vehicles that have removable seats.
Finally, all owner's manuals will have to clearly explain how all of the above works.
NHTSA Chief Counsel Adam Raviv said: "Wearing a seat belt is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent injury and death in a vehicle crash.
"While seat belt use has improved for decades, there’s still more we can do to make sure everyone buckles up.
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"These new requirements will help to increase seat belt use, especially for rear seat passengers, by enhancing reminders for vehicle occupants to buckle up."
This is the NHTSA's second big ruling in as many months, and in November 2024, it enhanced its five-star auto safety ratings to include driver assistance technologies and pedestrian protection. Still, as President-elect Donald Trump has shown his opposition to new government regulations, safety advocates are urging the Department of Transportation to finalize more rules before the Biden administration comes to an end.