After an increase in fatalities of unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants, the first in five years, the National Highway Traffic Administration is coming out strong in 2014 with its ‘Click it or Ticket’ safety campaign, and General Motors, in part with OnStar, are jumping on board with the initiative.
GM and OnStar have announced they will launch a new Belt Assurance System on select fleet vehicles this year. The system, developed by GM, will make sure both the driver and front right passenger are belted in prior to the vehicle being driven by locking the car in park until the belts are buckled.
“Customer safety is on the forefront of everything we do. It is essential for the safety of our customers’ and all drivers’ safety to develop the habit of buckling up each and every time they get into their vehicles,” said Jeff Boyer, vice president of GM global vehicle safety. “We continue to support this program by NHTSA to remind our drivers to buckle up each time they start their vehicles while also developing other safety features like our Belt Assurance System.”
According to the NHTSA, wearing a seat belt is the single most effective way to reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes. The device saved an estimated 12,174 people from dying in 2012 alone, and from 2008 – 2012 seat belts saved another 63,000 lives.
OnStar will also be supporting the Click It or Ticket campaign effort by reminding subscribers who press the blue OnStar button for non-emergency reasons to “remember to stay buckled up.” The reminder will last throughout the duration of the Click it or Ticket campaign, which runs today through to June 1.
Comment
While this is a good idea and I think it should be installed on all vehicles, it will most likely piss customers off. What’s it gonna be for those fools? They get angry at GM for issuing recalls (and hiding them), yet they still get angry for GM trying to make the automotive industry a safer place.