Alabama’s Department of Public Safety reports 178 out of the 367 traffic deaths that have occurred so far this year have resulted in fatalities because of vehicle occupants not wearing a seat belt. These figures are roughly the same as last year in which 59 percent of the people killed in traffic accidents were not wearing a seat belt.
In an attempt to lessen the traffic death toll, the Alabama state troopers and local law enforcement agencies began a “Click it or Ticket” campaign this past summer to strictly enforce the state’s seat belt and child restraint laws.
In fact, the increasing number of initiatives/mandates proposed by various governments has increased the usage of seatbelts worldwide. For instance, the UK government has introduced stringent laws with respect to the usage of seat belts which state that seatbelts are to be used at all times, with the exception of certain medical issues. Children are required to use seat belts at all times, and a particular type of seatbelt has to be used once they are over 135cm in height. Even the US federal government has mandated the usage of seat belts. These government initiatives are a large factor driving the Global Automotive Seat belt Market at a CAGR of 4.41 percent for the 2012-2016 period.
A seat belt is one of the most important and widely used safety devices in automobiles that provide improved security for the driver and passengers, minimizing the impact of injuries during accidents/collisions. Many types of seat belts are available, with each having a different method of holding the occupant in a steady position. Automotive seat belts are mainly classified into different types based on their design, as listed in the exhibit below:
Additionally, during accidents, the usage of a seat belt will prevent the driver from being ejected from the vehicle, and over 75 percent of the drivers that are ejected during an accident are killed. Seat belts significantly curb this problem by providing improved safety for the driver and the passengers, which is a major reason for their increased adoption by auto manufacturers and consumers.
On top of increasing seat belt usage awareness, governments across the globe are disclosing crash test ratings of automobiles, which is important and beneficial to customers and automobile vendors. After crash tests are performed, the test ratings are published in various websites of government institutions such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the European New Car Assessment Program and the Australian New Car Assessment Program. This helps consumers make the right decision in selecting an automobile. Further information is also provided about accident survivability and rollover rates. This can encourage manufacturers to enhance their brand image by producing safer vehicles.
Vendors are making heavy investments in R&D to develop new products that will improve passenger safety and convenience. There has been also been increased focus by the manufacturers on improving the safety of the consumer and reducing the operational cost, thereby maintaining a competitive position in the market.
Increased R&D spending has also led to product improvements like inflatable seat belts, also referred to as belt bags, which are a combination of airbags and seat belts. In this system, the fabric layers of the seat belts have an airbag fixed between them, which will enable them to provide better safety for the user. If there is a collision or a crash, the bag within the belt is inflated by the gas generator embedded in the belt, thereby safeguarding the driver and the passengers. With driver and passenger safety sitting at the top of the priority list for both governments and vehicle manufactures, the Automotive Seat Belt Market should continue to experience steady growth in the years to come.
For more information, view our 2012-2016 Global Automotive Seat Belt Market report.
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