Fasten your seat belt, small actions can save lives

Seat belts were invented in the early 19th century with the idea of ​​keeping front seat passengers from crashing into the windshield, hitting their heads on the steering wheel, or the dashboard when the car stopped suddenly or in the event of a collision or accident. By the 1960s, this part had become standard equipment on most car models. Nowadays, wearing seat belts is a mandatory rule for people sitting in cars in many countries and is thoroughly used in all positions in the car, every time getting into the car, passengers wear seat belts as a natural reflex.

According to statistics in Switzerland, since the Law on compulsory seat belts was applied, the number of serious casualties in accidents has decreased to only 1/3. In Japan, seat belts have saved 75 out of 100 drivers from the jaws of death in a strong collision, and when the car overturns, the rate is up to 91/100. However, in Vietnam, the awareness of using seat belts to protect themselves of drivers and passengers is still not high, the majority think that wearing seat belts is just cumbersome and inconvenient.

In fact, the driving speed in Vietnam, especially in big cities, is quite low, making car users not aware of the importance of wearing seat belts, leading to forgetting the reflex to fasten the seat belt every time they get in the car, whether on the highway or the highway. The consequence is that when the car brakes suddenly, encounters a collision or accident, both the front and rear passengers will encounter a strong head-on collision, causing the whole body to be thrown forward, the strong impact leading to serious injury and possibly death.

Experts have calculated that when the car is running at 60 km/h, when braking suddenly due to inertia, the person sitting will be thrown forward at the same speed. If the car is running at 70 km/h, the impact force that a person weighing about 70 kg will have to endure is up to 3 tons, and at 80 km/h it will be 9 tons. The higher the speed of the car, the more the force is multiplied.

With such a strong impact, the chance of survival is very low, especially for those sitting in the first row. In contrast to its simple structure, the seat belt is a lifesaver for both the driver and passengers in the above cases. Although the operating principle is not complicated, to maximize its effectiveness, the seat belt must be fastened properly.

Step 1: Sit in the correct position, keep your back straight and lean firmly against the seat. No matter which seat you are sitting in, you need to fasten the seat belt at 3 fixed points. Grasp and pull the latch, insert it into the buckle until you hear a "click" sound, be careful not to twist the belt.

Step 2: Adjust the upper belt. Adjust the shoulder and torso belt, lying comfortably over the collarbone and in the middle of the chest, not pressing on the neck and face, not behind the back or under the arms. Pay attention to the length of the belt, loose belts will cause the body to move in the event of a collision.

Step 3: Adjust the lower belt. Pull the lower belt down across the hips, across the lower abdomen and pelvis, not up high in the stomach. For pregnant women, the belt should be worn lower down, not across or on the belly.

Step 4: Check to see if the seat belt is adjusted to be tight, and see if the shoulder and lap belts are uncomfortable. If the belt is too short, you can buy an extension, and you can also buy shoulder pads to prevent shoulder pain when wearing the belt for a long time. Finally, it is best to drive with your back straight, avoiding gaps between your shoulders and the seat.