Humanities › History & Culture History of Seat Belts Share Flipboard Email Print Corry Weller History & Culture Inventions Famous Inventions Famous Inventors Patents & Trademarks Invention Timelines Computers & The Internet American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Mary Bellis Mary Bellis Inventions Expert Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on October 01, 2019 The first U.S. patent for automobile seat belts was issued to Edward J. Claghorn of New York, New York on February 10, 1885. Claghorn was granted the United States Patent #312,085 for a Safety-Belt for tourists, described in the patent as "designed to be applied to the person, and provided with hooks and other attachments for securing the person to a fixed object." Nils Bohlin & Modern Seat Belts Swedish inventor, Nils Bohlin invented the three-point seat belt - not the first but the modern seat belt - now a standard safety device in most cars. Nils Bohlin's lap-and-shoulder belt was introduced by Volvo in 1959. Seat Belt Terminology 2-Point Seat Belt: A restraint system with two attachment points. A lap belt.3-Point Seat Belt: A seat belt with both a lap and a shoulder portion, having three attachment points (one shoulder, two hips).Lap Belt: A seat belt anchored at two points, for use across the occupant's thighs/hips.Lap/Shoulder Belt: A seat belt that is anchored at three points and restrains the occupant at the hips and across the shoulder; also called a "combination belt". Car Seats - Child Restraints The first child car seats were invented in 1921, following the introduction of Henry Ford's Model T, however, they were very different from today's car seat. The earliest versions were essentially sacks with a drawstring attached to the back seat. In 1978, Tennessee became the first American State to require child safety seat use. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bellis, Mary. "History of Seat Belts." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/history-of-seat-belts-1992400. Bellis, Mary. (2020, August 25). History of Seat Belts. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-seat-belts-1992400 Bellis, Mary. "History of Seat Belts." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-seat-belts-1992400 (accessed May 30, 2023). copy citation