Vintage Volkswagen Toddler Safety Ad, ca. 1960s

In those early days, kids weren’t necessarily safe even if they were strapped in while in the car. Here, a Volkswagen child harness advertisement from the early 1960s:

A leash might keep your child from jumping out of the car, but offers little help if you get in an accident.

The ad reads:

“As every parent knows, a toddler is too squirmy to be held on the lap for long or to wear a conventional safety belt while riding in a car. And the hazards for an unattended toddler-passenger are too long to list, especially if mother is driving alone with the youngster.

In a Volkswagen this problem can be solved for about $2, in a way satisfactory to both parents and toddler. Solution is use of a harness set: the leash of a standard harness fits exactly when strapped around the upper section of a yolks back seat.

Leash is secured in the center around the backrest, then the harness strap attached. This allows the toddler to sit, stand or lie down. or move a short distance to either side, with the harness strap sliding up and down the leash with his movements.”