WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department said Monday it will require rear seat reminder systems to boost seat belt use starting in late 2027 in a bid to reduce traffic crash deaths and injuries that have been rising in recent years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its final rule will also upgrade and expand current warnings for the driver and others in the front seats. The final regulation comes more than a decade after Congress in 2012 directed the agency to consider mandating the systems for rear passengers. NHTSA estimates the new rule will eventually prevent more than 500 injuries and save about 50 lives yearly.