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:

    Compact Spare Tire
    WARNING: Driving with more than one compact spare tire at a time could result in loss of braking and handling. This could lead to a crash and you or others could be injured. Use only one compact ...

    Power Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column
    For vehicles with a power tilt control, it is located on the left hand side of the steering column. To adjust the power tilt wheel: • Push the control up or down to tilt the steering whe ...

    How the System Works
    URPA comes on automatically when the shift lever is moved into R (Reverse). The rear display briefly illuminates to indicate the system is working. URPA operates only at speeds less than 8 km/h ...