Seat Belts

One life a day would be saved if we all wore seatbelts. Make sure you and your passengers buckle up.

The law requires that a seat belt must be used if one is fitted and for children up to 135 cms in height to use a child restraint. For your own and others’ safety, take time to know the law and how to correctly use a seat belt, child restraint (baby/child seat/booster) car seat or booster seat.

Click here for information regarding the laws of wearing seatbelts.

Click here for more information on seatbelts and restraints for children.

Did you know that in a crash at 30mph, if you are unrestrained, you will hit the front seat and anyone in it, with a force of between 30 and 60 times your own body weight.

• You are twice as likely to die in a crash if you don’t wear a seat belt. ·
• Nearly 300 lives would almost certainly have been saved in 2007 if all car occupants had been wearing a belt. Roughly, that’s one life a day.

Top tips

• Seat belts are designed to give a high level of protection in the event of a crash. They are designed to adjust automatically to fit the user, to be convenient and easy-to-use. They are designed for adults, so don’t let children move up to an adult belt too early. ·
• A seat belt must be used in the correct way to work properly. It should not be twisted. It needs to be adjusted so that the lap belt goes as low as possible over the hips so that it does not ride up over the stomach. Avoid heavy clothing if possible because that may push the belt up over the stomach. ·
• It is very important that the shoulder belt lies across the chest and over the shoulder away from the neck. Many cars have adjustable top mounting points for the seat belt to help make it more comfortable to use. The belt must not go under the arm because in a crash that could result in serious injury. Police can take action if a belt is not worn properly. ·
• If a seat belt is uncomfortable, do not use padding, cushions or mats to make it comfortable. Instead, ask the vehicle manufacturer for their advice. ·
• Do not leave any slack in the belt — the belt can only do its job properly in a crash if it starts off close to the user’s body. Lap belts in the rear (and other non-automatic belts) need to be adjusted manually for a snug fit as low as possible over the hips. ·
• Never put an adult seat belt around 2 people, whether adults or children. The seat belt will not do its job properly and in a crash the people would be crushed together resulting in serious injuries. ·
• If a driver needs the seat pushed forward to reach the pedals, then slightly reclining the back of the seat may give sufficient space to sit back from the steering wheel. However, do not recline the seat too far. If there is a crash, the seat belt may not stop the driver sliding forward and under the belt resulting in very serious injuries. ·
• For the same reason, passengers should not travel with their seat reclined too far. ·
• Airbags are designed to be used with seat belts — they are not substitutes. Always read the handbook for advice about the airbags in any vehicle and how they affect the safety of adults and, especially, children. The advice can vary from vehicle to vehicle. We strongly recommend that advice is followed. ·
• Many cars have head restraints in the front and rear seats. They will only provide protection from whiplash injury if they are properly adjusted for the height of the car users. The top of the head restraint should be level with the top of the ears and as close as possible to the head.

There is no excuse – make sure you and your passengers wear seat belts.