Happy 50th three-point seat belt

The simple seat belt is one of the most ubiquitous, yet often overlooked, bits of safety tech, but 50 years ago, this wasn't the case.

Nils Bohlin wearing his safety belt.
(Credit: Volvo)

On 13 August 1959, the world's first car with standard-fit three-point safety belts, a Volvo PV544, was delivered to the Volvo dealer in the Swedish town of Kristianstad. Fifty years and about a million saved lives later, the V-shaped three-point safety belt can be found in every new car on the road. Happy birthday, three-point safety belt!

Before the three-point belt, there was the basic lap belt. This two-point design did a good job of keeping passengers in their seats during a collision, but it failed to evenly disperse crash forces resulting in a bruised forehead or — at high speeds — a possible fractured pelvis. The three-point design, developed by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin, more evenly spread impact forces across the passenger's torso and helped to keep the upper body in place.

Sure, some drivers and passengers find it a nuisance, but having emerged unscathed from more than a few fender benders, we have first-hand knowledge of the value of this simple fabric strap. Trust us, you're better off wearing it.

Check out the video below, which details more of the history and the future of Volvo's involvement with the three-point safety belt.