Patent ID: 8827026

Claim:
An apparatus to prevent tampering, comprising: a barrier configured to maintain a fixed position with respect to a seat, the barrier separating a first space, on a first side of the barrier, from a second space, on a second side of the barrier; a seatbelt buckle configured to maintain a fixed position with respect to the barrier in the second space, the seatbelt buckle comprising: an opening having a first predetermined height and width, the opening to receive a seatbelt tongue, a release button configured to release the seatbelt tongue from a releasably secured state with the seatbelt buckle when the release button is operated; and a slot having a second predetermined height and width, penetrating the barrier and parallel to the opening, the second height and width selected to permit passage of the seatbelt tongue from the first space into the opening of the seatbelt buckle and prevent an object from passing through the slot to operate the release button.