NHTSA Seeks to Revise Federal Standards for Vehicle Seats; Asks for Public Comment
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking to develop new standards for vehicle seats, reports CBS News.
The action was prompted by the conclusion of a six-year investigation by CBS that found the risks presented by inadequate vehicle seats, the federal standards for which were created in 1967 and haven’t been updated in decades.
In the investigation, it was found that seats are prone to collapsing in the event of a rear-end crash, even those meeting federal standards.
Furthermore, collapse of the seat had led to risks for children that may be seated in the back. Over the course of the investigation, 100 cases of children dying or being seriously injured as a result of collapsing seats in rear-end collisions were discovered.
President Biden’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal instructed NHTSA to revise its standards for vehicle seats within the next two years. Though that deadline has since passed, NHTSA is now taking action.
NHTSA is now seeking comments for the public that will help determine what changes they make to the federal standard having to do with seating systems. The agency will also be reviewing existing guidelines for head restraints.
“The agency seeks comment on seatback strength requirements, performance test parameters and various seat characteristics that are considered for regulation to improve rear impact protection, as well as relevant incident data,” said NHTSA in a statement.
