how safe are seat belts?

Question

i do not believe that seat belt are always safe

Answer 1

Seat belts are always your minimal best safety device. How many race cars do you see without belts and harness.


Safety Belts and Car Safety

Today, seat belts are an accepted part of routine vehicle operation for millions of drivers and passengers. But the modern three-point automotive seat belt has only been around since 1959 — and it's saved thousands of lives since its introduction.

The three-point seat belt was the brainchild of Swedish aircraft engineer Nils Ivar Bohlin, who, ironically, spent the early years of his career designing aircraft ejector seats. He designed the belt as a combination lap and diagonal belt positioned across the pelvic and rib cage.

Today's seat belts combine Bohlin's strong three-point harness with a relatively simple pendulum and ratchet mechanism that locks the belt in sudden-stop situations. This design helps improve the comfort of belt wearers, as the belt is not locked in position under normal operation.

As with any safety system, seat belt performance is dependent on proper use and fit. If the belt is not positioned correctly on the vehicle occupant's body, it can fail to provide adequate safety in the event of a collision or rapid deceleration.

How to Properly Adjust Your Safety Belt:

Always wear your seat belt, and insist that your passengers do the same. One non-restrained passenger can seriously injure others in the vehicle.
Seat belts help prevent internal injuries by spreading the force of a collision across two of the human body's strongest areas: the pelvis and upper chest. To ensure the proper distribution of force, the lap belt should be positioned across the upper thighs, and the diagonal belt across the chest.
Never slip the diagonal belt behind your body — the lap belt alone cannot prevent you from being thrown forward or out of the vehicle. Use the lap belt at all times, as well. Without this restraint, your body would be thrown under the diagonal belt and into the dashboard or steering wheel.
Make sure your belt fits snugly against your body. If it is too loose, you could be injured by being thrown against the belt itself.
If your seat belts don't seem to operate correctly, or you cannot adequately adjust them, return the car to a dealership or qualified repair shop for assistance.
If your vehicle is fitted only with lap belts (pre-1974 models), contact a dealership for an upgrade to a three-point harness. Aftermarket kits are available for many vehicle makes and models.
Facts:

In 2003, seat belts saved an estimated 14,903 lives of passenger vehicle occupants over 4 years old.
(Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2005)
In 2003, 56 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
(Source: NHTSA, 2005)
In 2003, 73 percent of restrained passenger vehicle occupants who were involved in fatal crashes survived. Forty-two percent of those not restrained survived. (Source: NHTSA, 2005)

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Related Links
Seat belt laws by state (IIHS)
Seat belt statistics (MADD stats & resources)






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Answer 2

The problem with the three point seat belt is it is always
Loose even with buckle that explodes and draws seatbelt tight.
After an impact in less than split second seatbelt releases causing
Some one to hit dash

Answer 3

Nothing is ALWAYS safe, but seat belts are safe and will reduce injury in 99% of all accidents. They won't prevent injury in all accidents, but they will REDUCE the severity. Without them, you are road kill. Why do you think race car drivers wear them? You are stupid not to. Do you look directly into the sun? It won't ALWAYS damage your eyes, so go ahead.

Answer 4

seat belt can be dangerous if you cant release it instantly when its emergency. but there is a solution. you need a seat belt extender buckle. using that you can release your seat belt instantly. i know a online shop from where you can buy it, very good product and they have worldwide shipping facility . https://bucklepup.tv

Answer 5

While it has been shown that, statically, seat belts save lives, they also can and do cause serious internal injuries. I suppose that this is better than being launched through a windshield.

Answer 6

they ain't coroners aren't allowed to put seat belts down as a cause of death

Answer 7

9 out of 10 times they will save your life in an accident.

Answer 8

I agree with you. More people get hurt when they use the selt belts than they do when they don't use them. I have done so much research on it and so many people are killed when they use the selt belt. That should not be law.

Answer 9

my best friend is a paramedic an in twenty years of responding to car crashes he has never had to unbuckle a dead person.

Answer 10

very safe while driving particularly (braking) sudden brake. unsafe when it comes to static fire accident.