Regulation sparks Seat belt stopper sales
Written by Writer on Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Regulation sparks ‘Seat belt stopper’ sales
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Sales of so-called seat belt stoppers are rapidly increasing since a revision of the Road Traffic Law obliged car passengers in the rear seat to wear seat belts.
The items keep the belt loose while it is being worn, reducing the feeling of being restricted.
The products are popular especially among women and children. Although the products are expected to increase the rate of rear-seat passengers wearing seat belts, excessively loosening seat belts may defeat the purpose of wearing them if passengers are not sufficiently restrained in the event of an accident.
The National Police Agency says use of the item is not recommended. Manufacturers of the products also warn that passengers should use them properly so that seat belts do not become too loose.
The stopper is a sort of clip set at the base of the seat belt to prevent it from retracting all the way, keeping the belt looser than normal.
The products had been popular mainly among truck and taxi drivers. But since the revision went into effect in June, an increasing number of ordinary car users are buying the devices.
Autobacs Seven Co.’s store in Ota Ward, Tokyo, has a section devoted exclusively to seat belt stoppers. The store sells dozens of types, including those featuring anime characters for children.
A 39-year-old woman from Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, visiting the store with her daughter, said, “They’re so convenient as the seat belts don’t feel so tight.”
According to the company, sales of such items by its group companies in September increased by about 30 percent from a year ago.
From this month, police across the nation will issue warnings to rear-seat passengers if they are found not wearing seat belts on highways. Thus seat belt stoppers have been rare hit items in recent years while sales of other car-related products are on the decline due to high gasoline prices, according to the company.
However, many seat belts have a mechanism that locks the belt when it is jerked or pulled too quickly. The mechanism is intended to restrain a passenger if they are thrown forward when the car collides with something or the driver applies the brake suddenly.
An NPA official said, “If a passenger wears a seat belt too loose, the pulling speed is reduced and the locking system may not work.”
An official of Seiwa Corp., a Tokyo-based manufacturer of seat belt stoppers, attaches a message to its products warning that seat belts should not be loosened by more than three centimeters.
An official of the company said: “The products are definitely for reducing the feeling of being restrained. We want our customers to use the products properly.”
(Oct. 29, 2008)
