Seatbelts — a lifesaving habit in the ‘Quest for Zero’ campaign Published June 26, 2015 By Steve Serrette 72nd Air Base Wing Safety Office TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Although reasons given for using safety belts generally include medical, social and economic concerns, there is one major reason for using them: They provide protection that vehicle occupants cannot provide for themselves. The seat belt is the single most important piece of safety equipment in a vehicle. In a collision the belt locks in place in an instant to keep occupants from hitting the steering wheel or other hard parts of the car (also known as "the second collision"). Some cars also have "automatic crash tensioners" that tighten belts during the first milliseconds of a crash. "Belt webbing grabbers" are in some cars. They clamp the belt just outside the reel. Both increase tension on the belt system when there is a collision. This helps to hold the belted person more-tightly in place, by decreasing the slack in the belt. Lap/shoulder belts play a key role in protecting motor vehicle occupants by ensuring they stay inside the compartment and decelerate with it instead of slamming against the interior surfaces. Although all lap/shoulder belts work on the same principle, they do come in different designs. A belt should fit snugly against the occupant. Any looseness allows the occupant to travel that distance before being stopped. Belt systems in today's cars are comfortable because they allow for freedom of movement but lock into place when there is a collision. The lap belt should be worn low over the pelvic bones, not over the abdomen. Belts worn too high could result in injury. The shoulder belt should lay midway across the large shoulder bone. Some new cars have height adjusters that allow the movement of upper shoulder belt anchorage for an easier and more comfortable fit. This is especially helpful for short people. There is a right way to buckle up Buckling up can save your life and doing it right may save you from injury. Yes, there is a right way to wear your safety belt! Wear the lap belt low: Sit erect. Place the seat belt low on your lap, across your heavy pelvic bones to protect delicate internal organs. In case of an accident, heavy bones can withstand the tremendous force of impact. Caution: Do not wear the belt across your stomach where the force of impact may be transmitted to soft body organs and injure them. In a 30 mph collision, a 100-pound person can experience 3,000 pounds of force. Tip: A large person may find a car's lap belt is too short to reach around him/her. An extender can be obtained from the parts department of a car dealer. Extenders are usually provided without charge. Center the belt over shoulder: The shoulder belt should be placed over your heavy shoulder bones, about half way between your neck and arm. Heavy bones are better able to withstand the forces resulting from a collision. Caution: Do not let the belt lay across your neck, it will be uncomfortable. Also, a poorly placed belt might contribute to injuries in case of a collision. Never place your shoulder belt under your arm. When under your arm, the belt rests across your ribs, small bones that could be broken in a collision and possibly puncture major organs such as your heart or lungs. Tip: If the belt lies against your neck, check to see if there is an adjustment for the height of the shoulder belt. If so, adjust the height. If there is no adjustment, sit erect and move a little toward the center of the seat so the belt will be lower on your shoulder. A soft thin belt cover can help avoid rubbing. If the belt comes across your neck or face (such as with a child), move to the back seat and use the lap belt. Many cars have the shoulder and lap belt as one unit. In other cars, they are separate manual lap belts. Always use both shoulder and lap belts for maximum protection. Make sure it is snug: When an accident occurs, the belt system locks into position to hold the wearer in place. Thus, it is important for a belt to fit snugly. Most belts have a comfort feature that allows you to move about. As you move, some belts retract to fit snugly. Others remain loose. If a belt does not retract to rest snugly against your body, adjust it to eliminate any slack. There should be no more than an inch (two fingers) of slack. Caution: A loose belt will not hold you in place. The looseness may allow you to hit the steering wheel or dashboard, or to slide out of the belt. The snugger the belt, the more securely you will be held in place in case of a collision and therefore, the greater the protection. Make sure the belt, manual or automatic, is correctly placed and fits snugly. Tip: Adjust the headrest so that the center of the headrest is even with the center of the back of your head, otherwise, the headrest provides little, if any, protection. Avoid sitting too close to the steering wheel, in an accident, belts will stretch slightly. Make sure the back seat passengers are buckled up, otherwise in an accident they may be thrown into the front seat passengers. If you are wearing your safety belt when an accident occurs, your chances of being killed or injured are reduced by 50 percent. The likelihood of injury will be further reduced if belts are worn correctly. This summer, stay focused on your personal safety and our "Quest for Zero" Safety campaign by ensuring your safety belts are used before you move your vehicle.