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:

    Door Ajar Light
    This light comes on in the Driver Information Center (DIC) when a door is open or not securely latched. Before driving, check that all doors are properly closed. ...

    Sunroof
    For vehicles with a sunroof, the sunroof only operates when the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/ ACCESSORY, or in Retained Accessory Power (RAP). See Retained Accessory Power (RAP)  for more i ...

    Starting the Engine
    Place the transmission in the proper gear. Notice: The engine is designed to work with the electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical parts or accessories, you could change the way the engin ...