Skip to content
Home Car Advice Top Automotive Innovations of the Past 100 Years – 1960s: 3-Point Seatbelt
The 1960s were an era defined by societal change, significant cultural events such as the Moon landing, the birth of the pony car, and the rise of critical safety regulation in the automotive industry.
In the early 1960s, most vehicles on the road used the classic lap seatbelt common to cars of the era. In 1959, at the tail end of the ’50s, Volvo designer Nils Bohlin invented the 3-point seatbelt. Volvo then made this innovation freely available worldwide through an open patent.
Though it may not be the most exciting innovation on our list, the 3-point belt is one of the most significant, as it has been directly credited with saving millions of lives worldwide, with regulatory enforcement beginning in 1968 in the U.S..
The credit for the success and importance of the 3-point seatbelt is also clear in its continued use and regulation, more than six decades after its first introduction.
Video by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety displaying why seatbelts can save lives.
Sam Staudt is an Oklahoma City-based automotive senior editor and seasoned content creator with a decade of crafting videos and a passion for anything with four wheels. He has worked alongside automotive giants, including Ken Block, Kevin Hart, Mario Andretti, Richard Petty, TJ Hunt, and Ryan Sheckler. He is an expert in leading creative teams to push the boundaries of artistic style while marrying it with functional information-based storytelling in the automotive space. When he’s not behind the camera or in the editing booth, Sam loves playing basketball and spending time with his wife, Cambry, and their two cats.
Simply choose the content you'd like to receive below and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
Newsletter
Get the latest news on the best cars, best deals, and more.
Sam Staudt Articles
Receive upcoming articles by this KBB.com expert.
Email Address
Invalid email address
Price cars, trucks and SUVs on KBB.com
