How to Wear a Seat Belt

The first thing you should do when you enter a car is put on your seat belt. Seat belts are not always comfortable, but they are vitally important for safety, especially given how often people get in car accidents. Unfortunately, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of people between the ages of five and thirty-four, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is injured in a traffic crash every fifteen seconds. Also, someone is killed in a crash every thirteen minutes, according to the NHTSA. However, seat belts save over 11,000 lives each year, and they can help you maintain control of your car in a wreck, reports the NHTSA. But how do seat belts work? Seat belts help prevent internal injuries by spreading the force of a collision across two of the human body’s strongest areas: the pelvis and upper chest, according to Progressive Insurance. While it is extremely important to wear a seat belt, it is also very important to properly wear a seat belt. Here are some tips on the right way to wear a seat belt.

How to Wear a Seat Belt

You should position your lap belt across your upper thighs, and the diagonal belt across your chest, recommends Progressive. You should not put the diagonal belt behind your body because the lap belt alone cannot prevent you from being thrown forward or out of the vehicle, according to the insurance company. Make sure you always wear the lap belt as well; your body can be thrown under the shoulder belt and into the dashboard or steering wheel, according to Progressive.

How to Wear a Seat Belt If You Are Pregnant

Wearing a proper seat belt is important for everyone. However, the proper technique becomes even more important when one seat belt can save two lives. When you are pregnant you should wear the combination lap and shoulder seat belt, recommends the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The lap belt should be placed below your stomach, touching your thighs, and low and tight on your hip bones; you should never wear the seat belt across your belly, suggests CHOP. Make sure to wear the shoulder seat belt as well. The shoulder belt should fit snugly across the center of your shoulder and chest; do not put this seat belt behind you, according to CHOP.

If you have suffered an injury in a car accident, call the Chicago lawyers of Stein & Stein, LLC to obtain compensation for your injury. Call our office for a consultation so we can discuss your rights and how best to handle your injury claim. There is no charge for speaking with one of our experienced attorneys so call us at 312.422.0500.