Date:         Thu, 26 Feb 2015 18:41:17 -0900
Reply-To:     Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Rear seat comfort on a Vanagon Westy?
Comments: To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <000001d0522b$9d2d08b0$d7871a10$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

>
> Re: "VW must have used a camper van loophole for the Westy back seat,
> because head restraints have been required on passenger cars since 1969."
>
>
> All manufacturers drag their feet and lobby for the laws to be repealed or
> at least postponed, they argue that it will add to the cost of the vehicle
> and drive their sales numbers down.  As Dennis pointed out passenger cars
> and vans were in separate categories so different rules applied.  A perfect
> example of the manufacturers ability to delay being forced to install
> additional devices in automobiles, in the US market, is the rear seat
> shoulder belts.  The belts became standard equipment around 1989 or `90 in
> the US even though the government mandated the upper anchoring point be
> installed in cars in 1972.  How many people were seriously injured or
> killed between `72 and `90 using lap only belts in the back seat?


Mark in AK