Working Party on Passive Safety | Session 73 | 15-19 May 2023
Geneva
Agenda Item 5.
UN Regulation No. 14 (Anchorages of safety-belts)

10. The expert from Finland introduced GRSP-73-06 to propose a new series of amendments to UN Regulations Nos. 14 and 16 that remove the derogations for the two-point safety belts (GRSP-70-05). He recalled to GRSP that GRSP-70-07, introduced at the seventieth session of GRSP, showed evidence of an insufficient level of safety with two-point belts. He concluded that equipping buses with three-point safety belts was a cost-effective way to increase safety for passengers. The expert from the Netherlands in principle supported the proposal and asked a time reservation. The expert from Italy also requested time reservation. The expert from the United Kingdom informed GRSP of a low number of bus crash casualties in his country. The expert from OICA recalled GRSP-70-06 and GRSP-70-07 that were introduced by the expert from Finland at the seventieth session of GRSP, and requested clearer evidence of the benefit of three-point safety-belts, including for other countries. The expert from Germany also stated a low number of bus casualties in his country; GRSP noted that he would provide further statistics at its December session. The expert from Japan also informed of a low number of bus casualties and noted there was no evidence that three-point belts would be beneficial. GRSP agreed to resume discussion at its December 2023 session based on a revised proposal and requested its experts to provide further statistical data. GRSP noted that if a new replacement proposal was not received by the secretariat, GRSP-73-06 should be confirmed for submission as an official document.

11. The expert from Spain introduced GRSP-73-09-Rev.1, proposing the introduction of three-point safety-belts for buses and coaches (all M2 and M3 vehicle categories) on adult seats facing a built-in Child Restraint System (CRS). She explained that the proposal aimed to prevent impact between an adult and a child when the child was restrained in a built-in CRS installed on a seat back facing the adult. GRSP adopted GRSP-73-09-Rev.1, as reproduced by annex II of the session report. The secretariat was requested to submit the proposal as draft Supplement 3 to the 09 Series of Amendments to UN Regulation No. 14 for consideration and vote at the November 2023 sessions of WP.29 and to the Administrative Committee of the 1958 Agreement (AC.1).

12. GRSP noted GRSP-73-36 tabled by the expert from OICA. He clarified that the proposal aimed to allow occupants to use alternative seating positions only if this would not cause any conflict with the content of other UN Regulations. He added that the proposal should be considered as a first step. The expert from the Republic of Korea requested a time reservation to check the effects on other UN Regulations. The expert from the United Kingdom noted that the proposal introduced geometric criteria with possible effects on injury criteria. GRSP agreed to resume discussion at its December 2023 session and requested GRSP-73-36 with an official symbol for that session.

Documentation
GRSP-70-06 Three-point safety belts in buses and coaches (Finland)
GRSP-70-07 Estimate of the cost and impact of three-point seat belts in buses in Finland (Finland)
GRSP-73-05 UN R14 and UN R16: Proposal for new series of amendments (Finland)
GRSP-73-06 UN R14: Proposal for series 10 of amendments (Finland)
GRSP-73-09/Rev.1 UN R14: Proposal for Supplement 03 of the 09 series of amendments (Spain)
GRSP-73-36 UN R14: Proposal for Supplement 10 to the 07 Series of Amendments, Supplement 02 to the 08 Series of Amendments and Supplement 03 to the 09 Series of Amendments (OICA)