THE IMPORTANCE OF SEATBELTS

PURPOSE:
The job of the seatbelt is to hold the passenger in place so the passenger is almost part of the car which prevents the passenger from flying forward as the car stops abruptly in the case of a collision. Wearing a seat belt is one of the most effective and proven means of reducing the likelihood of death and serious injury in a crash.

Seat belts prevent vehicle occupants from being ejected from a vehicle. They reduce the time taken for the body to come to a stop in a crash, spread the impact force over a greater area of the body, and minimize the contact of the driver or passengers with the interior of the vehicle. It is one of the easiest ways of protecting drivers and passengers when travelling in a vehicle.

How to wear a Seat Belt:

Wearing your seat belt when driving or riding in a vehicle can save your life, but only if you wear it properly. The shoulder belt should go over your shoulder, not under your arm, and it should be snug to your body. If the shoulder belt is worn incorrectly and you are in an accident, it could crush your ribs or injure your internal organs. The lap belt should be worn nice and low over your hips, not across your stomach.

10 Reasons to Wear Seat Belts

1. It is the law in every state in Nigeria.

2. Your face is less likely to hit the windshield if you are wearing a seat belt because it stops your inertia. That is, if your car is going 60 miles an hour and suddenly stops, your face won't hit the windshield going 60 miles an hour.

3. Wearing a seat belt keeps you from being thrown from your vehicle.

4. It keeps you from banging against parts of your car such as the door, the steering wheel and the seat in front of you. Gravity and inertia may demand otherwise, but a seat belt doesn't force you to obey such laws.

5. Seat belts keep the driver and passengers from banging into each other, a cause of serious injury in some accidents.

6. Airbags are less effective and may be useless if you are not wearing a seat belt; you can still be thrown from your car and bang against its parts and passengers. Also, your body may not remain in a position that benefits from the protection of an airbag if you are not buckled into your seat.

7. Wearing a seat belt could save your life: death sometimes results from hitting the windshield, being thrown from your vehicle and banging against vehicle parts and passengers.

8. Seat belts remain the number one vehicle safety device, despite new technologies and protection measures taken.

9. It increases your chances of being unhurt and alert if in an accident that results in fire or being submerged under water, which means your chances of getting out increase as well.

10. It helps keep pregnant women alive, which is the number one thing a woman can do to protect her unborn child in a car. Pregnant women are advised to wear the lap belt low (not against the abdomen) so that it pulls downward on the pelvic bones.

Thank you.