Protective function of
safety belts
Fig. 27 The unbelted rear seat occupant is thrown
forward into the driver, who is wearing a seatbelt.
It is widely believed that in the case of a minor
accident, the blow can be stopped with the hands.
This is not true!
Even at low speeds, forces are exerted on the
body in the event of a collision that cannot be
counteracted by simply supporting oneself with
the arms and hands. In the event of a frontal
collision, unbelted vehicle occupants will be
thrown forward and hit uncontrollably against
parts of the vehicle.
The interior, e.g. steering wheel, instrument panel or
windscreen → fig. 26.
The function of the airbag system does not replace
that of the seat belt. If the airbags are triggered,
they only provide additional protection. The airbags
do not deploy in every type of accident. Even if the
vehicle is equipped with an airbag system, all
occupants (including the driver) must wear their
seat belts and wear them properly throughout the
journey. This reduces the risk of serious or fatal
injury in the event of an accident, regardless of
whether the seat is equipped with an airbag or not.
Each airbag only deploys once. For the best
possible protection, it is essential to always wear
your seat belt correctly. This will also protect you
in the event of an accident in which the airbag
does not deploy. Unbelted occupants could be
thrown out of the vehicle and suffer even more
serious or fatal injuries as a result.
It is also very important that rear occupants wear
their seat belts correctly, otherwise they will be
thrown uncontrollably out of the vehicle in the
event of an accident. If an occupant in the
If you are not wearing a seat belt in the rear seat,
you not only endanger yourself, but also the driver
and other vehicle occupants → fig. 27.
Please note at the beginning of this chapter
on
page 37.
Fig. 28 Drivers wearing seat belts correctly fitted will
not be thrown out in the event of braking.
Correctly fitted seat-belts can make a big
difference. Properly fitted seat-belts keep
occupants in the correct position and significantly
reduce kinetic energy in the event of an accident.
They also help to prevent uncontrolled movements
which could lead to serious injury. If the seat belt
is worn correctly, the risk of being thrown out of the
vehicle is also reduced → Fig. 28.
Vehicle occupants who wear their seat-belts
properly will benefit greatly from the fact that the
kinetic energy is absorbed by the seat-belts. The
structure of the front of the vehicle and other
passive safety components of the vehicle, such as
the airbag system, also ensure a reduction in kinetic
energy. This reduces the energy generated and
thus the risk of injury.
The examples described are from frontal collisions.
Of course, properly fitted seat belts also
considerably reduce the risk of injury in all other
types of accident. For this reason, it is important to
wear
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
