The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 207 which was enacted almost 40 years ago is the minimum seatback strength requirement mandated by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The standard merely requires that the seatback portion of a seat withstand 20 times the weight of an empty seat and remain upright when 373 newton meters of strength is applied to the back in a rearward direction. If this sounds like alot, you should knowthat a lawnchair tested by Dateline in 1995 exceeded these requirements.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is well aware of the problem and in 1996 actually admitted that the current standard was inadequate…this didn’t lead to any changes, only further recognition of the problem in 1997 and 1998. One of the reasons they are dragging their heels is over the concern that stiffer seatbacks will lead to more incidents of whiplash.
Compare a whiplash injury with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that leads to permanent disability or death – which one would you chose?
For now, research into the car you own or are looking to buy is the best offensive you can take to keep you and your passengers safe. One Website with some information, though not nearly enough regarding seat failures, is http://www.Safecar.gov. Until we see higher seatback safety standards, we will continue to hear of tragic stories such as Alyssa’s. We need to write to NHTSA, to our local government and to our automobile manufacturers. These issues need to be resolved for the safety of all vehicle occupants.
