Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that the 2022 Ascent and Forester earned top ratings in a new program from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) encouraging manufacturers to improve their seat belt reminders.

The new IIHS program rates seat belt reminders as “Good”, “Acceptable”, “Marginal”, or “Poor”, based primarily on the volume, duration and timing of the audible alert. To earn a “Good” rating, a seat belt reminder system must generate an audible signal and visual alert on the dashboard display, overhead panel, or center console when the vehicle is moving at least 6 mph and the system detects an unbelted occupant in one of the front-row seating positions or the unfastening of a second-row belt that was previously buckled.

Along with other specifications, the audible alert must be loud enough to be heard over the background noise in the vehicle cabin. If the seat belt of an occupied front-row seat remains unbuckled, the visual and audible reminders must last at least 90 seconds. If a previously fastened second-row belt is unbuckled, the reminders must last at least 30 seconds. A visual indicator that appears when the driver starts the vehicle is also required for the second row.

Of the 26 small and midsize SUVs tested, only the Ascent and Forester earned the highest possible rating of “Good”.  Both models feature audible alerts that the human ear perceives as approximately four times louder than the ambient vehicle noise at test speeds. These alerts do not end until the offending belt is fastened, and they meet all the other requirements for both front and rear reminders. 

“Subaru supports IIHS’s resounding efforts to spur the industry to achieve higher levels of vehicle safety and occupant protection,” says Thomas J. Doll, President and CEO, Subaru of America, Inc. “We are thrilled to hear Ascent and Forester received top ratings for their new program.”

Federal standards specify that seat belt reminders must include an audible signal that lasts for 4-8 seconds total and a visual alert that lasts at least 60 seconds whenever the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled. However, previous IIHS research has shown that more noticeable and persistent alerts could increase belt use among those who do not routinely buckle up by as much as 34 percent, preventing an estimated 1,500 fatalities a year.

For additional information about the IIHS seat belt reminder evaluations, please visit: https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/many-suvs-struggle-in-first-iihs-seat-belt-reminder-evaluations
  Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Camden, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts, and accessories through a network of more than 630 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company’s vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA and the SOA Foundation have donated more than $300 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged nearly 88,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do. For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.