Why Safety Belts Work

When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels.

Put someone on it.

Put someone on it.

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.

The rider does not stop.

The person keeps going until stopped by

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...

or the instrument panel...

or the instrument panel...

or the safety belts!

or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense.

    See also:

    What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates?
    After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some people may not even realize an airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags may still be a ...

    Hill Start Assist (HSA)
    Some vehicles have a Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature, which may be useful when the vehicle is stopped on a grade. This feature is designed to prevent the vehicle from rolling, either forward or rearwa ...

    Universal Remote System
    The Universal Home Remote System allows for garage door openers, security systems, and home automation devices to be programmed to work with these buttons in the vehicle. See Universal Home R ...