In 1955, the National Safety Council and several other organizations adopted a policy to stimulate the installation and use of lap-type belts. The 20 years that followed have seen a major move in overall emphasis toward automotive occupant protection that had little attention in previous decades of automobile transportation.

This paper attempts to put into perspective the efforts of various researchers, organizations and governmental agencies, and it traces the development of protective systems through the life of the automobile.

It also discusses vehicle occupant usage factors based on a variety of surveys and studies conducted through the last two decades. A discussion is also offered concerning the newly ushered in era of mandatory use of safety belts through legislative action.