Always wear a seatbelt. In a crash you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t. | |
Not wearing a seatbelt can be a fatal decision even on short, familiar journeys and at low speeds. | |
Wear your seatbelt correctly so it can offer you the best possible protection in a crash. | |
Observational studies of car crash morbidity and mortality, experiments using both crash test dummies and human cadavers indicate that wearing seat belts greatly reduces the risk of death and injury in the majority of car crashes | |
When comparing like-for-like accidents, a vehicle occupant not wearing a properly fitted seat belt has a significantly and substantially higher chance of death and serious injury. | |
Drivers and passengers aged 17-34 have the lowest seatbelt-wearing rates combined with the highest accident rate |
Seat belts are designed to retain people in their seats, and so prevent or reduce injuries suffered in a crash | |
They ensure that as little contact is made between the occupant and vehicle interior as possible and significantly reduce the risk of being thrown from a vehicle. | |
On modern vehicles, seat belts are now also designed to work as the key part of wider injury prevention measures and safety systems, such as airbags and head restraints, which will not be as effective in reducing the risk of injury if an occupant is not wearing a seat belt. |
The belt should be worn as tight as possible, with no slack | |
The lap belt should go over the pelvic region, not the stomach | |
The diagonal strap should rest over the shoulder, not the neck | |
Nothing should obstruct the smooth movement of the belt by trapping it | |
In most modern vehicles, the height of the top of the seat belt can be adjusted on the B-pillar. If you cannot get the seat belt to fit over you correctly, as described above, you should try adjusting the height. |
Place the diagonal strap between the breasts (over the breastbone) with the strap resting over the shoulder, not the neck. | |
Place the lap belt flat on the thighs, fitting comfortably beneath the enlarged abdomen, and over the pelvis not the bump. | |
The belt should be worn as tight as possible. |
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