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 seat on

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. The rider

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop.

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In

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:

    Brake Fluid
    The brake master cylinder and, on manual transmission vehicles, the clutch hydraulic system use the same reservoir. See Engine Compartment Overview  for the location of the reservoir. The r ...

    Towing a Trailer
    CAUTION: If you do not use the correct equipment and drive properly, you can lose control when you pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not work well — or ...

    Starting the Engine
    Place the transmission in the proper gear. Automatic Transmission Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any other position. To restart the vehicle when it is ...