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Honda Says "No" to
Seat Belts for Larger Passengers
July
30, 2000
Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
To whom it may concern:
I am writing in support of Elizabeth Fisher's petition to amend Federal Regulation
SEC. 571.209 Standard No. 209, Seat Belt Assemblies.
This is the petition concerning seat belts for people of all sizes.
I try to support and help Elizabeth in her battle to make our highways safer
by making sure that seat belts are available for all vehicle passengers. As
you know one of the focal points of this struggle has been with Honda who, to
me, have insisted that they meet federal standards. I have seen a copy of the
letter sent to Elizabeth in which they refuse to offer extenders. I have personally
talked to people at the national office and suggested that, if they were going
to refuse to provide extenders, they should at least notify all the state police
departments of their refusal to provide extenders. I have gone to the local
Honda dealership and was told that all I need to do to get extenders is to contact
the national office. The national office told me where I could call to find
who was the closest local person would do a re-fitting. The closest local company
that would do a re-fitting told me that all I had to do was to call Honda and
ask for an extender.
When I have talked with local police about it I have been told that a fat person
should get a letter from a physician saying that, for medical reasons, the person
should not wear a seat belt. I have pointed out to local police that a doctor
would be a fool to write such a letter. I can think of no reason why being fat
would eliminate the need for seat belts. I doubt that a doctor would think of
any reason either.
Longer seat belts, or at least available seat belt extenders, are technologically
and financially possible and currently provided by many companies. Seat belts
for all will reduce injuries and save lives and do it had very little expense.
Considering the cost of extensive hospitalization and death benefits, seat belts
for all should be very cost-effective.
To make the whole process even easier, is there any problem with requiring that
seat belt buckles be standardized after a certain date? Is there any technological
reason why it would be impossible to require that after a certain date any new
seat belt extender would fit into the seat belt connections of every four-wheel
vehicle certified for public highway use that is sold in America?
Yours truly,
Russell Williams