Seat Belt Safety

Driving safely is not at all restricted to acquiring all the technical tactics and skills of driving a vehicle but it also extends to using effective safety techniques so that the drivers as well as the passengers are protected against any possible mishap. One such safety technique is always wearing a seat belt. It has been a proven fact that travellers have 40% more chances of survival in a crash if they wear seat belts, however these statistics depend upon the seriousness of the impact. Research has shown that seat belt safety is able to save more lives and therefore, each and every driver and passenger should learn how important it is to wear a seat belt. Around 20% of fatalities caused on UK roads are people who were not wearing their seat.

Seat belts are able to protect the drivers and the passengers in several ways including:

• Decreasing the period that is needed for the occupant to reach to a stop during a crash
• Minimising the occupant’s contact with interior of the car
• Spreading the impact over a larger area of the occupant’s body
• Preventing the occupant from being ejected from the car

Pregnant women and children are equally required to wear seat belts while driving or travelling, however there may be different styles or special seat belts for such people.

If you are careful enough to wear seat belt every time you drive or travel in a car, you must make sure that your seat belts are in excellent condition. Checking the condition of the seat belts should be a standard part of a car maintenance routine and the following points should be thoroughly checked from time to time:

• The seat belt should not be frayed, cut or twisted
• The buckles should be in good working condition and should be properly releasing and engaging
• The retractors should work properly, the seat belts must pull out slickly and retracted fully while not used.

In several countries like India and Australia, it is required by law to wear seat belts and tough penalties are applicable for people who do not follow the law. An increasing number of countries are realising the importance of wearing seat belt safety and the significance of buckling up is getting spread loudly and clearly.