HarryJ Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 What was the first year seat belts were offered on automobiles? Which makes offered them prior to 1960? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 gee I think they were offered in the 1948 Tuckers. After that, I think GM offered them as an option in cars around 1956 but I am not certain of that. According to a website on the Los Angeles Seat Belt Law, Volvo was the first manufacturer to regularly provide seat belts in 1955.You can get this page at Seat Belts . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Seat belts invented by Volvo in <span style="font-weight: bold">1849</span>, and no that's not a typo (see about.com). The first American patent for them was issued in 1885 (see illustration below). The best timeline of official/manufacturer installation ( from school transportation news) shows nothing happenting until 1954 just after James Dean's tragic wreck. (It was widely believed that he'd have been saved by belts, and they were required that year by the SCCA.) (As I recall Tuckers did <span style="font-style: italic">not</span> have seat belts. They had a reinforced "passenger crash compartment" in the front seat footwells, wherein passengers were supposed to dive in the event of immanent collision. I think seat belts were a better idea!)Interestingly it seems Henry Ford was equipping Model Ts with child seats (although nothing like a safety device) in 1921! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 FordMoCo had them as an option in 55 or 56. We had a 54 Merc and they didn't have them or any add-on option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1959olds Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I just helped a neighbor this last year with an original 55' Buick Roadmaster that had color cordinated seatbelts. This was the earliest year car I had ever seen with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bollman Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 My dad had a 56 Ford with factory belts and he never owned a car after that without them. If it didn't have belts he added them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlJalopy Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 I can't speak for all manufacturers, but Ford offered seat belts as part of their safety equipment for '56, along with the deep-dish steering wheel, collapable steering column, padded dash, and padded visors. In New york, seat belts were required by law in '64 models, and were required to be worn by front-seat occupants in late '83 or early '84. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aanderson44 Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 Ford first offered seat belts as a part of their drive to "sell safety" in 1956 (which failed miserably at the time).My 1958 and 1959 Chevrolet factory shop manuals show not only the installation of optional seat belts, but shoulder harnesses as well (separate shoulder belt, much like those found in the mandated installation beginning in 1970).Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid Posted January 8, 2005 Share Posted January 8, 2005 I can't confirm it but the story I heard is that Nash offered them in 1950 as an option, but discontinued them as the public thought that in offering them the cars must be unsafe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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