The physical principle of a frontal collisionFig. 4
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear seat passenger without a
fastened seat belt
Read and observe
on page 11 first.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of mo-
tion) is produced both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at
which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle including the
occupants.
Doubling the speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases
the kinetic energy four times.
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” to 4.8 tons (4800 kg) at
50 km/h.
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike parts of the interior of the car, such as the
steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen in ways which cannot be controlled
» Fig. 4 -
. In certain circumstances you could even be thrown out of the vehi-
cle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries.
A rear seat passenger who has not fastened their seat belt is a danger not on-
ly to himself but also for those seated at the front » Fig. 4 –
.
Correct routing of seat beltFig. 5
Routing of belt webbing over the shoulders and the lap belt/Rout-
ing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
Read and observe
on page 11 first.
It is important that the belt is properly routed to ensure seat belts offer the
maximum protection.
The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across the neck but must
roughly run over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
The lap part of the belt must run across the pelvis, must not be positioned
across the stomach and must always fit snugly » Fig. 5 -
.
Seat belts with pregnant women
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of
ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child.
With pregnant women, the lap part of the belt must be positioned as low as
possible on the pelvis to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower abdomen
» Fig. 5 -
.
12Safety
