A Case for Seat Belts

by Rick Black, Webmaster

Several years ago, one of our Oregon chapter members and his family were on a Model A tour with other chapter members on a rural road in Medford Oregon. Out of nowhere, a modern pickup truck swerved into his lane and plowed head-on with his 1928 Phaeton. All four people in the car, front and rear seats, were wearing seat belts that he had installed. All four were injured but survived the collision. It took the emergency crew 20 minutes to cut the driver out of the wreckage.

If we can learn anything from this, we should ALL install seat belts, front and rear, in our Model A’s. There have been several articles in The Restorer detailing the installation. It’s not difficult. It’s not expensive.

  • A Bear on Safety – Seat Belts, May-June 1993 (38-1) p 25-30 –   Get it Now
  • Seat Belts in a Model A?, May-June 1993 (38-1) p 24   –   Get it Now
  • Shoulder Seat Belts for a Model A, Sep-Oct 2005, (50-3) p 12-14  –   Get it Now
  • Seat Belts in 1929 Tudor – Get it Now 
  • Seat Belts in 1930 Coupe – Get it Now 
  • Seat belts in 1931 Tudor – Get it Now 
  • Belting the Victoria – from Santa Anita A’s newsletter – Get it Now

Chapters: discuss this with your members at one of your upcoming meetings. Schedule a seat-belt installation clinic where everyone can bring their belts and get the help of other members to install them.

Installing seat belts WILL save lives. Don’t hesitate. Don’t put this off. Do it now. Please.