In 1903, French inventor Gustave-Désiré Leveau patented a design for a seat belt. 🚗✨These early designs were simple, however, and were mainly used in racing cars to keep the driver in place. The first car to be fitted with seatbelts as standard was the Volvo PV544 in 1959. Volvo pioneered developing and standardising the three-point belt, designed by their engineer Nils Bohlin. The three-point belt, which protects the occupant’s chest and hips, is still widely used in cars worldwide and has saved countless lives since its introduction. In 1966, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was passed in the United States, requiring manufacturers to install seat belts in all new cars—similar laws followed in Europe.
