When driving a car, safety must undoubtedly be the top priority because the lives of the people in the vehicle depend on it. Over the decades, the mechanisms of cars have evolved, allowing them to provide protection to citizens. Some of the most effective measures that have been bundled include seat belts and airbags.
Although authorities, health experts and experts have stated that it is important to use seat belts at all times, it seems that the citizens of the world do not understand and understand how fundamental this measure is.
In fact, the use of seat belts has been shown to prevent hundreds of deaths around the world every day. Unfortunately, every day there are people who ignore traffic rules and cause accidents in which people sometimes die or suffer serious damage to their health. Here lies the importance of the belt in saving lives.
In this regard, Miguel Assal, expert in first aid and emergencies, explained that the use of this safety element can protect the lives of all people, regardless of age or condition, while they are in a vehicle.
Likewise, the first aid expert pointed out that the likelihood of death or serious injury increases enormously if the belt is not used. “Without a seat belt, the risk of death increases eightfold.”
The content creator revealed how to wear the belt correctly. With this in mind, he mentioned that the lower band should reach below the hip bones and be well fitted. While the upper band (diagonally) must be located in the middle of the collarbone and never near the neck.
The reason the harness must be used in this way is because if the lower webbing extends past the hip bones in an accident, the pressure it exerts could cause one of the organs to rupture.
On the other hand, for the correct use of the belt it is necessary to pay attention to the correct position of the chair, as this depends on the protection of the safety tool. For this reason, the chair must be between 100 and 110 degrees, i.e. almost at a right angle.
If the instructions on the correct sitting position are not followed, an underwater effect can occur if the backrest is tilted too far back. This means that in a frontal collision, the body can slip under the belt and there is a risk that the upper band of the belt will suffocate the injured person or cause cuts and abrasions to the neck. Additionally, your legs may become trapped under the rudder.
Another important point is the fact that the upper part of the belt should not go under the arms, since the airbag works thanks to the protection that the belt provides. This means that these two safety strategies (belt and airbag) complement each other and if one of them is not placed correctly, safety can fail in the event of an accident.
In addition, it should be noted that when using the belt, you should not wear clothes that are too large or loose, otherwise the belt will not exert the necessary pressure in the event of an accident and will create an underwater effect. Therefore, it is necessary to take off loose jackets before getting into the car.
Finally, the expert noted that although the belt, for example, can be a little uncomfortable, it is necessary for pregnant women to use it at all times.
