virsight hearing - Motor Vehicle Hazard Archive Project

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The notlc€ al50 empbasizcs a IJHTSI r.quir.nent may not D' ne?od
stnce nany nanufacturers have arnounc.d !€nistlve plans to volunterlly
lnst:11, or ttlake avall.bIr as tn option, shouldc./lap bcl!5 tn comlnB
nodel years. The CenLer disaBrees. F1rsl. 3ome danuractu'e'e mav
r.ke .ear shoulder/lap bclLs an optton rsth.r than standard 'qulPn'nt_
lurth€r, there 13 no Suarantec that rear shouLder/lap belis oav not
5omeday be renoved to. conpe!i!ive reasons. Iovota, tot ex:nPle'
lnslall.ed shoulder/Iap b€lts !n rear seatlng Po5lt1ons of 1981-82
Cressldas but subsequentlv r€v€rted to 1aP b€lts rn 1983'
Shoulder/lap b€]ts are slmPIy too loPortant to be I€fl to thc fulurc
oarketlng and conPetitive cost coh3ideratlons of indlvldual
automak€rs. A !ederal regulation eould a3sute that bv a certaln d:t'
a1l, oodel.s aae €qujPped lljth shoulder/lap b€1!! and provld€ IHTSA tllh
sn enforcemerrt fi.chab1sE to assur€ conpllanc€.
s.u.o!!LE-84ff !!LI RErRoFrrS Elj vEHrcLii cuinENTLr a! lXE -Eq,O
SeDa.ate froft falIlng to require rear 3eat shoulder/Iap belts on
n.r cars, NfltSA has no!. follot €d throu8h to assure consumers can h'v'
the cars !hey nos oHn r€trofltied r1!h should€r/lap beI!s' llTSBr3
retroflt recomh€ndatloo is especiatlv loportan! 5lnce v1rluallv a1l of
the approrlnatelv 80 ojltlon passenger cars holj on the road ha!e only
lae belts Ln !h. rcar seats. The..ports ee recelve froD vehlcl'
oeners a!!e ptln8 to obtaln 3hould.r/1ap bel!s to r'place th! la!
bel.r nol. in their rear seats shou th.t r€t-tofiitinC 15 3tlIL not '
vlabl€ a1lerna!1ve tor the vast daiort!y of consurDers'
1€veIs.
Subsianti3l g.obIeEs erist both a! ih' manufactu"r 3nd d'aI'r
Sepor!s ee nave recelved ov consuhers ano revieH oi !€rvice
lnforna!1on danufactu.ers have issu€d to deale's, lndlcates ihtl
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