The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to meet a congressional deadline set by Congress in November 2021 to publish a proposed regulation aimed at strengthening vehicle seats for safety. The regulation, which remains in the “pre-rule” stage, has been stalled for over two years. Safety advocates and lawmakers have been calling on NHTSA to take action to update the standard for seatback safety to protect children in the back seat of vehicles. A CBS News investigation revealed that the current strength standard for vehicle seats leaves them susceptible to collapsing in rear-end crashes, putting occupants at risk of injury or death.
Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, along with other lawmakers, has been urging NHTSA to prioritize seatback safety and take swift action to address the issue. Safety advocates estimate that at least 50 children die each year in crashes involving seatback collapses. The delay in updating the regulation has left families concerned about the safety of their children in vehicles. The parents of a child who was killed in a rear-end crash due to a collapsed seatback have been advocating for the change in seatback strength standards to prevent similar tragedies.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also expressed frustration over the lack of action by NHTSA in updating the seatback safety regulation. The NTSB has made recommendations for improvements, but there has been little progress in implementing them. NHTSA has assured that they are working on the regulation and plan to publish an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the coming months. However, safety advocates and lawmakers are calling for more urgent action to prevent further accidents and fatalities.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety over meeting congressional deadlines. He acknowledged the challenges faced by NHTSA in managing limited resources and multiple mandates while ensuring the safety of the public. Despite the delays in updating the seatback safety regulation, NHTSA remains committed to addressing the issue and ensuring that vehicles meet the necessary safety standards to protect occupants, especially children in the back seat. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and parents continue to push for swift action to prevent future tragedies and improve vehicle safety standards.
