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Did Packard go under before the introduction of seat-belts? Also, were seat-belts introduced by auto makers as "improved safety measures," or were they government-mandated?

as always
Garrett Meadows

Packard offered seat belts on the V8 models and maybe earlier. Kind of crude by todays standards but available. One side was fastened to the door and when not in use was held by a clip. Packard promoted that door mounting feature as an additional safety means to ensure the door stays closed. With that arrangement, often wonder how many buckle ends were routinely left dangling and merrily clanking down the road.

I think I read that Ford was the first to promote them extensively. They stopped publicizing them as much when the public perceived the offering meant the cars were unsafe but still kept them as an option. Don't think they were mandated until sometime maybe in the 70s.

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Thanks for both the informative and rapid response, along with the graphic. I had to laugh over the image of the seatbelt caught hanging outside the door, because I well remember that happening on several occasions in my late father's 1965 Chevrolet Impala. I know this is horrifying to say, but my father finally got so irritated he actually cut the seat-belts out of the car.

as always
Garrett Meadows

One of the many experts here will know but front seat belts were mandated in 63-64 or so.

Ford made a big thing out of safety in their advertising in 1955. Things like improved door locks, impact absorbing steering wheel, padded dash, and optional seat belts.

The rest of the industry followed. I know Studebaker offered seat belts in 1956 if not earlier.

Incidentally while Ford was emphasizing safety Chevrolet was emphasizing speed, power and performance with their new V8. Chevrolet beat Ford's brains out in sales. For 1957 Ford dropped the safety pitch and pushed their new longer, lower wider styling and bigger more powerful engines. Ford beat Chev in sales for the first time since the Model T days.That put an end to safety as a car selling feature.

I think seat belt mountings became mandatory in 1963 and seat belts themselves in 1966.

The picture of the Packard door with seat belt attached reminds me of old road tests of the 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk with door mounted belts. I guess it was a Studebaker - Packard thing. Not very safe looking especially in an accident that popped the doors open.

Preston Tucker wanted to equip his car with seat belts in 1948 but was talked out of it. I think if the car had made production they would have at least been offered as an accessory.

They were available from the early fifties but I can't tell you exactly when. I think Volvo was one of the first to offer them.

From time to time the auto industry tried to sell safety going back to the 1926 Safety Stutz if not earlier. But safety was a hard sell and not something the public was interested in especially if it cost money.

Federal law made seat belts installation by manufacturers mandatory, Jan 1, 1968 under the safe motor vehicle standards. Many car companies installed them as options. I think Europe enacted safety laws, like seat belts, before the Federal Gov./ DOT.

I had a '63 VW bug that had seat belts that would fall out the door like you described, then my wife had a '67 VW with retractable seat belts. My dad had a '67 Dodge Dart that did have seat belts.

You made a point about an issue I've often thought about regarding the emphasis placed on safety by car manufacturers, especially pre-WWII. Just as a casual vintage car enthusiast whose knowledge would have difficulty filling a thimble, I always felt the emphasis was on style and creature comforts, not safety.

as always
Garrett Meadows

As already pointed out by Rusty, Stutz was perhaps the most noteworthy maker who made a real point of emphasizing safety, even to the point of referring to their car the "Safety Stutz". Most all the makers made a point in their promotions when they went to safety glass, especially those who went to it in all windows and not just the windshield. Hudson tried to make a safety distinction with their brakes postwar which had a mechanical override such that the foot brake pedal would automatically engage the parking brake if the hydraulics failed - it might have helped sell a few cars. Also postwar the "deep dish" steering wheels got a bit of play in promotion, as did early users of padded dashboards (Kaiser notably, also with their "pop-out" windshields. But I guess after Stutz the first to put together a comprehensive safety promotion was Ford in 1957, not that it helped their sales much if any.

One wonders how much today's safety crash test results and safety classifications influence buyers?

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O_D, I think you are correct about Ford being the first to introduce a comprehensive safety package in their automobiles. If memory serves me correctly it consisted of a padded instrument panel, deep dished steering wheel, safety door locks, padded sun visors, and safety belts. This was done for the 1956 models. Also, I think that in 1957, Ford out sold Chevrolet. As you say safety was put on the back burner until government mandates in the 60s.

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Thanks for the clarification, I never was much of a student of Ford products.