Cars to include device to remind drivers to wear seat belts

TOKYO March 13, 2005; Japan Today reported that a new regulation to go into force in September will require automakers to equip new cars with a device to remind drivers to wear their seat belts, the transport ministry said Thursday.

The mandatory warning system, the first of its kind in the world, is designed to beep for at least 30 seconds after a vehicle has traveled 500 meters or reaches a speed of 25 kilometers per hour while the driver's seat belt is unfastened, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said. A red lamp on the dashboard will flash when a driver's seat belt is unfastened. (Kyodo News)