The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted Legacy Limousines and Luxury Coaches a temporary exemption from installing shoulder belts on side-facing seats in their motorcoaches, as required by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208. Instead, they can install lap belts, as NHTSA has determined the overall safety of these buses with lap belts is equivalent to those with shoulder belts. This exemption, valid from January 21, 2025, to January 21, 2027, was granted because there is limited data showing shoulder belts significantly increase safety for side-facing seats, and type 1 seat belts are generally considered safe in this context.
Simple Explanation
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is letting a bus company use seat belts that go around the waist instead of ones that go over the shoulder on some sideways seats in their buses, because they believe both types of seat belts are safe enough for now.