Do pregnant women have to wear seat belts when driving?
Concerned that seat belts could crush babies, many people wonder if pregnant women should wear seat belts while driving?
In fact, wearing a seat belt while pregnant is quite simple and can protect both mother and fetus from serious injury while driving.
How to wear seat belts for pregnant women
Step 1: Pull the seat belt under your belly and over your hips so that it fits snugly around your pelvis without putting pressure on your abdomen.
Step 2: The shoulder strap should be placed between the chest and away from the neck and off to the side of the chest. Wearing it this way will help keep the belt from coming loose. Do not place the seat belt behind your back, under one arm, or too close to your neck.
Step 3: Adjust the seat to the most comfortable position for the pregnant woman. Try to keep the steering wheel upright to create space between the steering wheel and the abdomen. Note that the distance should not be too far to ensure flexible access to the accelerator/brake pedal and steering wheel. In addition, if sitting in the passenger seat, tilt the seat back so that you can sit in a resting position.
Some other safety measures for pregnant women:
-Do not turn off the airbag switch:Seat belts work with airbags to keep the driver safe. Some pregnant women think that seat belts are unnecessary if there are airbags. However, if you are not wearing a seat belt, you could hit something or be ejected from the vehicle in a crash.
-Do not drive for more than 5 - 6 hours: Driving for long hours can make pregnant women tired.
- If your car is involved in an accident, go to the hospital for a check-up even if you are not injured.
