And Americans are heavier and larger than ever, so more people are finding belts that meet today's federal standard difficult, if not impossible, to wear. Fisher bought her Odyssey despite Honda's reluctance. She gathered signatures and filed a petition with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in April, asking it to review standards for seat belts. Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1988 to 1994 and reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show the 95th percentile man is now 244 pounds, while the female is 226 pounds. But it sees no obstacle to offering an extender, and says there is nothing preventing automakers from offering longer belts, as many, but not all, do.
Some groups appear to be especially hurt by the old standard.
The 95th percentile for white males 40-49 is 256 pounds. Ticketed for not wearing belt Lisa Brounstein, an actress and plus-size model in Los Angeles, is eager to see the results. She got a ticket last year from a police officer who scolded her for not wearing the belt in her 1992 Honda Civic. Brounstein, who cannot fasten her belt, fought the ticket, but got no slack from traffic court either. She does not want to be forced to sell her paid-for, otherwise reliable car.