Seat belts may seem like a simple safety measure in your vehicles, but they’re a lot more complex than meets the eye. Besides keeping you snug in place inside your car during severe impact, it works together with your airbags. This is because seat belts, airbag modules, and numerous sensors are linked together to give an effective emergency response.
Once your car experiences intense pressure or undergoes immediate deceleration or other related variables, your car’s Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) comes into effect. It activates your seat belt sashes to tighten and airbag modules to deploy to keep everyone in the vehicle safe from harm. This occurs almost instantaneously to prevent severe injuries during a car crash. Unfortunately, your seat belts can’t provide effective safety features if you’re not wearing them correctly.
How to Wear Your Seat Belt Properly
Although wearing a seat belt may seem straightforward, that doesn’t mean you can take it for granted. In fact, you can still be at risk of severe injuries if you’re wearing it improperly.
In this article, we’ll share three things you should check to confirm that you’re wearing a secure and safe seat belt.
1. Watch Your Knees
A properly worn seat belt must keep you on your seat to brace you during impact. It should also prevent you from sliding down the seat, which can contort your body in different ways. This happens if you or your passengers don’t wear your seat belt tightly.
To check if you’re wearing your seat belt correctly, your knees should bend at the edge of the vehicle’s seat. It’s a snug and comfortable position that keeps you in place and prevents the seat belt from coming off along the hip bones. This issue is most common among children too young to sit correctly, which is why you may need a booster seat for their safety.
2. Position the Shoulder Belt
The shoulder belt should cross around your bid-shoulder, not too close to your neck and just far enough from your arm. This position keeps you comfortable while driving by giving you enough unrestricted mobility with your arms while driving.
During a car crash, the shoulder belt will tighten because of your seat belt pretensioner so expect to experience slight discomfort. If it’s too close to your neck, you may suffer minor injuries along your collarbone. Remember to hang your shoulder correctly to avoid this issue.
3. Position Your Lap Belt
The lap belt should cross over your body through the hip and thigh area, not on your stomach. This position will protect your lower body from major impact. Additionally, it keeps you in an upright position even if the car tumbles.
Your lap belt’s positioning becomes an issue if it’s too loose or too tight. This makes it cross over the wrong body part, compromising your safety during a car crash. If your belt’s sash cannot run across your body due to your size, you may need to order a longer replacement. Thankfully, you can buy replacement seat belts from third-party suppliers instead of heading to your car’s OEM.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, seat belts can experience wear and tear even if you haven’t experienced a car accident. This damage can make it difficult to wear your seat belt, causing complications when you need them most. Thankfully, you can conveniently swap out your broken seat belt for a new one by reaching out to the right suppliers.
Our team at Safety Restore knows the importance of keeping you safe from vehicular accidents. This is why our products are dedicated to giving your car the right protection it needs. If you need airbag module resets or seat belt replacements, contact us today!