The dangers of faulty seat belts Seat belts have the ability to better protect vehicle occupants from fatal accidents than anything else. According to federal statistics, in 2003, the use of seat belts saved nearly 15,000 lives nationwide. However, even more than 6000 deaths per year are related to the misuse - or non-use - appropriate restrictions seat belt during a car accident.
Seat belts save more lives - they save money nation. Every year, seat belts save society $ 50 billion in medical care, lost productivity and other costs related to injuries nationwide. But the failure of seat belts has enormous costs.
The seat belt defects - more common than you think
Although the national average for seat belt is a peak of 71 percent, mainly due to a $ 3.7 million "Click it or Ticket" campaign used paid advertising to promote the use of belts Security, nearly 10,000 of the 30,000 deaths automobile accidents in 1999 was related to non-use of seat belts.
However, these statistics do not show the number of injured or even killed because of faulty seat belts. In fact, each year a number of motor vehicle manufacturers recalled due to defects in the design of seat belts.
The purpose of wearing a seat belt is so that it can prevent or minimize what is called the second collision. The first collision is when the vehicle is a collision with another vehicle or object. The second collision, the occupant of a car of its impact on the vehicle or is ejected and then hits the ground. seat belts can protect the occupants of a car in fatal crashes of a second with the windshield of a vehicle, the steering wheel or the roof.
Defective seat belts may not properly restrain the occupant of a vehicle because of poor manufacturing or design. These shortcomings are:
* "Unlocking inertia", which occurs when a seat belt is locked in a collision. Loops without "lock-for-the-lock" design are more sensitive to inertial unlatching, in which the locking plate out of the belt loop.
In 1982, a patent by General Motors said that well-designed latch should be physically secured in the locked position to prevent unlatching by inertia forces acting on the vehicle body. Despite these warnings, anti-inertia characteristics unlocking are not yet used in all seat belt buckles in new cars and the U.S. government has largely ignored release inertia in its safety guidelines.
* "False lock" that occurs when a belt buckle seems to be closed, but it is not. False causes lock to a passenger to release the seat belt instead of being properly restrained. A belt Security is considered false closure if it comes off less than five pounds of torque. False lock can cause passenger ejection from a moving vehicle or serious injury when colliding with passengers inside the car .
* Durability of seat belts is the key. This includes hardware and weaving the belt itself in addition to safety belts that have too much slack and thus load too quickly, disabling the protective belt of the belt. Seat belt retractors are also defective involved in accidents belt durability.
Some belt buckles secure than others
Manufactures are not willing to make public information regarding safety belt buckles that are more prone to failure during collisions. Consumers are unable to distinguish between security models and belt type seat belt is in their vehicle until the information becomes publicly available.
Because seat belts become released during a crash, it is statistically difficult to say how many people are killed or injured each year due to their belt buckle.
Litigation belt is a crucial factor in the CRA car.
Posted on May 13, 2010.
