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Sponsor cites fatal crash as he proposes seat‑belt mandate for older antiques; collectors push back
Summary
Representative Timothy Horrigan introduced HB 326 to require seat belts for operation of passenger cars model year 1968 or older on state and local highways for trips over 20 miles; family members of a crash victim supported the measure while antique‑vehicle groups and restorers warned of technical, value and enforcement problems.
Representative Timothy Horrigan said he introduced HB 326 following the death of a friend’s brother in a crash involving an antique vehicle that lacked modern restraints. Citing that fatality, Horrigan proposed a requirement that passenger vehicles model year 1968 or older must be fitted with seat or safety belts if driven more than 20 miles on state or local highways.
"This bill was based on her suggestions," Horrigan said, referencing testimony from the victim’s sister; he described the collision as an otherwise ordinary daytime errand that became fatal when the driver was ejected.
Collectors and restoration experts pushed back. Richard Smith, president of the White Mountain Model A Ford chapter, told the committee older cars often have wood structural elements and body designs that make retrofit anchorage and shoulder‑belt installations technically difficult or impracticable. “The term seat belt or safety belt… to the average owner of the modern automobile knows that this includes the shoulder belt. If HB 326 intends to require a shoulder belt, a great number of anti coders will need major structural changes,” Smith said.
Witnesses also said retrofitting to meet modern federal performance standards (49 CFR safety test regimes) would be onerous on individual cars and that destructive testing and certification is not a feasible path for one‑off restorations. Several collectors argued that a mandatory retrofit would reduce the value of historically preserved vehicles and could lead owners to stop participating in longstanding charity shows and touring events.
Others urged narrower approaches: some suggested carving out parades, short local use, shows and one‑day events, or allowing registration‑type distinctions to preserve permissive use for shows while requiring seat belts for high‑speed or long‑distance operation. Representative Horrigan said he expected implementation details would be worked out in rulemaking or committee work sessions and that his initial 20‑mile threshold and 1968 year cutoff were starting points for negotiation.
The committee closed the hearing without a vote. Testimony reflected a split between public‑safety advocates and collectors; committee members asked for drafting work to reconcile safety goals and preservation concerns.
