USA - Proposed Rule of FMVSS 208, Occupant Crash Protection, Seat Belt Reminder Systems

​The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act of 2012 (MAP–21) directs NHTSA to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, “Occupant crash protection,” to require a seat belt use warning system for rear seats. Pursuant to this mandate and following on an earlier Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, NHTSA is proposing to require a seat belt warning system for the rear seats of passenger cars, trucks, most buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less.

This document also proposes to enhance the existing front seat belt warning requirements, including requiring a seat belt warning for the front outboard passenger seat and increasing the duration of the warning.

You should submit your comments early enough to be received not later than November 6, 2023. In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, NHTSA is also seeking comment on a revision to an existing information collection. For additional information, see the Paperwork Reduction Act Section under the Regulatory Notices and Analyses section below.​