Patent ID: 7812716

Claim:
An apparatus for externally monitoring the status of seat belt use in a vehicle comprising: a plurality of seats including front and rear seats; a plurality of vehicle seat occupancy detection devices each positioned inside one of the plurality of seats; a plurality of seat belts each secured to one of the plurality of seats, wherein each seat belt has a tongue and a belt buckle, wherein the tongue is configured to engage the belt buckle; a plurality of seat belt sensors, each positioned in a single belt buckle for sensing the engagement of the tongue to the belt buckle; and a seat belt use indication light positioned on the exterior of the vehicle and connected to the plurality of seat occupancy detection devices and the plurality of seat belt sensors, wherein the indication light is in an off position if no seat is occupied, wherein the indication light is activated when at least one of the plurality of detection devices detects a person seated in one of the plurality of seats, wherein the indication light is activated to emit a first color when the seat is occupied and the tongue is engaged with the belt buckle, and wherein the indication light is activated to emit a second color when the seat is occupied and the tongue is not engaged with the belt buckle.