In 1885, a patent for a seatbelt was first granted in the USA. But it was Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin who invented the seatbelt in its current form (V-shaped three-point) in 1959. The three-point belt first came with the Volvo PV544. The invention was later fitted on all makes of car: Volvo made Bohlin's patent public, recognising its importance for the safety of the driver and passengers.
Engineer Nils Bohlin won many awards for his invention and his name is recorded in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The German Patent Office has listed the three-point safety belt among the eight most important inventions to be patented during the century.
By using the device, the likelihood of a driver or passenger being killed in a head-on collision is reduced by a factor of 2.3, a factor of 1.8 in a side collision and a factor of 5 in a vehicle rollover.
Mind that in Belarus, according to the Road Traffic Regulations, the use of seat belts is compulsory for drivers and passengers!