Volvo 3-pt Restraint Seatbelt ad from 1960s/1970s

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MSI
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Volvo 3-pt Restraint Seatbelt ad from 1960s/1970s

Post by MSI »

We recently came across a framed picture in storage of a Volvo ad which included a topless model.
This framed ad was given to Ray while he was back at Calspan by someone from Volvo.
The ad in support of the 3 pt restraint and this is a vivid demonstration of the safety provided by a 3-pt. seatbelt.
Crazy that it took until 1984 before the first seat belt law was passed in the USA which required vehicle occupants to wear seat belts.
Currently laws vary across states.
  • Probably a tipping point for seat belt laws was when airbags started being installed in vehicles in the 1980s unbelted folks were being killed as the airbag deployed in low impact collisions due to being out of design position and in proximity to the airbag deployment. Vehicle manufacturers realized airbags could only be supplemental NOT primary safety devices
    • NOTE: airbags in research were initially developed as primary safety devices (because people wouldn't wear seat belts) and so the impact speed change of 9 mph -14 mph.
      Now with seat-belts required WHY hasn't the airbag deployment threshold risen to 20 Mph or more? (note NHTSA still has 8-14 mph??!!)
      • From NHTSA FAQ "Frontal air bags are generally designed to deploy in "moderate to severe" frontal or near-frontal crashes, which are defined as crashes that are equivalent to hitting a solid, fixed barrier at 8 to 14 mph or higher. (This would be equivalent to striking a parked car of similar size at about 16 to 28 mph or higher.)"
As scientists working in the field of vehicle and highway safety for a combined total of 99 years**
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND ENCOURAGE ALL PEOPLE IN ALL VEHICLES TO WEAR SAFETY BELTS!
We also recommend NHTSA consider raising the deployment threshold for airbags to 15 or 20 mph minimum!


**Ray in field of highway safety from 1963 to present for 57 years, Brian from 1978 to present for 42 years

Back to the Volvo Ad campaign:
I've searched the web and can't find anything on the Volvo ad campaign. Please let us know if you have any additional information on this ad!

Had the heading in swedish:
titta noga på hennes blåmärken
which translated is:
  • Look closely at her bruise.
    • the ad text said:
      • It was gone within a few days. It was caused by her shoulder strap in a crash at 43.5 mph.
        The seatbelt saved her life. A crash at 43.5 mph is like falling from the sixth floor of a building.
      Volvo seatbelt ad.jpg
      Volvo seatbelt ad.jpg (343.1 KiB) Viewed 5299 times