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:

    Safety Belt Care
    Keep belts clean and dry. WARNING Do not bleach or dye safety belts. It may severely weaken them. In a crash, they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean safety belts only with ...

    Child Restraint Systems
    (A) Rear-Facing Infant Seat A rear-facing infant seat (A) provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash ...

    CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
    This message displays when the engine oil needs to be changed. When you change the engine oil, be sure to reset the Oil Life System. See Engine Oil Life System and Driver Information Center (D ...