The importance of safety belts
Safety belts, airbags and head restraints are some of the basic factors when it comes to the protection of drivers and passengers at the time of an accident. Therefore, it is a legal obligation for both drivers and passengers to use a safety belt while driving.
The vast majority of traffic accidents occur at speeds between 30 and 40 mph. The force of the impact at this speed is similar to the force of the impact that occurs when a person falls from the 5thfloor. In a frontal collision at these speeds, drivers and passengers that are not using safety belts are unlikely to survive such accident. In a frontal collision, the car stops immediately and the bodies of drivers and passengers continue to travel at the same speed as before the collision. At this moment the basic function of seat belts is to keep the driver and passengers in the seats and thus prevent impact on their bodies. That’s why the use of seat belts reduces mortality rate in road accidents by 50% for the driver and front passenger and for about 25% for the passengers in the back of the vehicle.
In addition to the use of seat belts, it is also necessary to adjust the head restraints in the right way. Properly adjusted head restraints are those restraints in which the upper edge of the backrest is set at the height of the crown or at least not lower than eye level. The seat should be closer to the nape. The purpose of the headset is to reduce the risk of head and neck injuries in cases of collision with another vehicle (impact at the back of the vehicle). The restraint and seat disable lurching of the head and prevent injury or fracture of the cervical vertebrae. In order to get the most from the seatbelt it is necessary to use it in a proper way.
First of all, set the seatback in an upright or slightly tilted backwards position which allows you to place your entire back against the seatback. After that, stretch the safety belt across the chest and the lower part through the stomach. Don’t place the safety belt too close to the neck. Use the ring on the safety belt to adjust the position.
Keep in mind that the fines for not wearing a safety belt are very harsh and remember that you are using this belt for your own safety.