We keep hearing about many protective devices evolving in race with the technological advancements. These include Side Air Bags, Electronic Stability Control Systems, Tire Pressure Monitors, Anti whiplash headrests, Side bars, Seat belts, Booster belts and many more. As per our current context, let's focus on seat belts and their role in sustaining the lives during accidents. In other words, the significance of seat belts in preserving road safety.

What happens'?

Let's see what happens to an unbelted passenger, during an impact. Once a collision or a crash occurs, the vehicle ceases all of a sudden. The collision force slams the unbelted passenger against the car interior, causing injury. The consequent reaction results in the collision of bodily organs causing more pain.

Let's envision you to be belted?

Let's understand what happens if you and the other passengers are belted during a crash. The belt helps spread the crash over larger parts of your bodies such as your chests, hips and shoulders. If you're the driver, your head, face and chest are also less likely to strike the steering wheel, windshield, or dashboard. In simple words, you are less prone for injury.

Few technicalities

When a seat belt is worn properly, it will apply the collision force across the chest and pelvis. This makes them withstand the collision forces to a better extent. A typical seat belt assembly consists of two components, a lap and shoulder belt. The lap belt should be buckled firmly against the body and low across the hips. The shoulder belt should be buckled as tightly as possible spreading across the shoulder and the chest. If you wear just the shoulder strap, you still have chances to slide out and get strangled, while the lap belt prevents you from hitting the steering wheel.

The full width of the belt is required to spread motor vehicle collision forces across the body; hence a seat belt should never be worn twisted.

A special word of caution for the truck drivers. These giants travel at high speeds hence a even a minor mishap also can lead to a major injury. Thus it is vital to wear the seat belts during truck driving.

What about the air bags?

Air bags do not replace the seat belt but supplement their action, hence are known as 'auxiliary or supplementary restraints'. Airbags have evolved to protect the head, neck and chest during the collision. During a motor vehicle collision, they reduce the forward movement and minimize impact. They protect the occupant by providing body support and preventing their ejection out of car. These airbags create a cushion between the driver or occupants and the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield or other surfaces.

Statistics

In the past ten years, More than 2,000 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers died on roadways and approximately 700 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers were thrown out of their vehicles during crashes. Adoption of seat belts can reduce these figures of fatality to a great deal

Time for the DMV Laws

Drivers are charged, with a fine and demerit points for seat belt infractions. Demerit points remain on a driving record for two years from the date of the offence. The numbers vary from state to state.

All the passengers are required to wear a seat belt in a proper way. This applies to all passengers, who are at least 8 years of age but less than 18 years of age, and each driver and front seat passenger of a passenger automobile, operated on a street or highway. This is a part of driving laws, hence not to be ignored

Safe guard your tiny tots!

Children are the most vulnerable victims in car accidents. This is because of their small size, they get injured seriously in even a minor crash. Hence forth it is very esential to take safety precautions when you drive a child along even for a short trip.

- Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and primary-school aged children are safest in child car seats or booster seats. Arrange for these seats as per their sizes.

- The motor vehicle driver is responsible for ensuring that all children under 12 years of age are properly secured in a motor vehicle. The driver should make sure the kid is restrained properly in the back seat.

- Never allow children to ride in the laps of other passengers

Despite your defensive driving mechanisms, clashes appear quite apparent, in such scenarios, seat belts come handy in reduving the degree of physical injury. Follow these simple protective measures and you too can conserve driving safety on roads.

You can know more about such safety devices and learn many driving tips at driving safety news.