Williamson v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc.

Summary

The Court held that FMVSS 208 does not preempt state tort suits claiming manufacturers should have installed lap-and-shoulder belts on rear inner seats. Unlike in Geier, the agency did not view manufacturer choice in this instance as a significant regulatory objective. Justice Sotomayor concurred to caution against overreading Geier, and Justice Thomas concurred in the judgment based on the statute's saving clause.