Why you should wear your rear seat belts, even if you’re traveling alone

The seat belt was one of the first. road safety measures that were built into cars. Thanks to them, millions of lives have been saved around the world. Accident. In Spain they were not mandatory until 1974. And they were used on city roads only in 1992. Moreover. Seat belts have been around for many years. limited to the driver and co-pilot area. Those of us riding behind did not have that privilege. Fortunately, times are changing. And now it’s normal to fasten the rear seat belts when we occupy those seats.

Currently, In addition to mandatory Fasten seat belts in the back and front when someone occupies these seats; if you don’t, modern cars have a system audible and visual warning which is not deactivated until the clasp buckle contacts the corresponding clasp tab. But there is a question you may have asked yourself that comes up from time to time in the driving world:what to do with rear seat belts when no one is driving behind you?

Logic tells us that if no one is using something, we shouldn’t touch it. For example. If it’s not cold, there’s no need to turn on the air conditioning. Or if it’s daytime, why turn on the car’s headlights. Or in this case: why fasten the rear seat belts if we are driving alone. But, as in the case of car headlights, there are situations when lighting is necessary during the day. And about the rear seat belts. There are those who recommend always fastening them.. And there is a reason to challenge this decision.

What is a seat belt for?

At this moment we are all familiar with seat belts. And we know they’re necessary because if our car slows down or gets into an accident, the seat belt will keep us in the seat rather than throwing us out. The General Directorate of Road Traffic states that in 2020, 125 people died in traffic accidents without wearing seat belts. 26% of the total. A figure that could be reduced if she were taken with her.

Like other road safety measures, the seat belt is not 100% effective, but it is significantly reduces the likelihood of death in a traffic accident. According to DGT statistics, this reduces the risk of death by 77%. And if that’s not a good enough reason to wear it in the front and back of your car, “failure to wear it is a serious offense punishable by a fine of €200 and the loss of 3 points on your license if you are a driver.”

Regarding the function of the seat belt, fastening the rear and front seat belts when we are in the car serves to soften deceleration in case of an accident. According to DGT, the belt acts like a parachute. And he gives a practical example. “in a collision at a speed of 80 km/h with a hard object the car’s passengers would be thrown forward with a force equal to 80 times its weight.”

How to wear a belt correctly

Below is a list main recommendations About using the belt:

• All seat belts must be fastened front and backin the occupied areas.
• The belt should fit well fits tightly to the body. No clothespins or very thick clothing. They reduce efficiency.
• You shouldn’t bet nothing below the waist to make it more convenient.
• Avoid using towels or covers in the seats.
• When attaching, make sure that not hooked or folded.
• The top part should pass through the collarbone, between the neck and shoulder. If it goes through the neck, “in the event of an accident, it could cause serious injury.”
• He the seat is too tilted This reduces the effectiveness of the belt and can lead to suffocation in the event of an accident.
• In the event of an accident, it is recommended change the belt because its braiding loses efficiency and there may be breaks in fastening system.

Fasten your rear seat belts, why?

When experts talk about fasten the rear or front seat belts, two expressions arise. Firstly, there is the underwater effect. And the second is the elephant effect. The Main Traffic Directorate itself talks about this in its informative publications.

He underwater effect happens when someone it doesn’t fit well with a belt. Because it is too loose or poorly adjusted. When an accident occurs, our body “pushes the seat down and slides under abdominal girdle.” This means we could “collide with the steering wheel, dashboard or lower part of the cabin.” The result: back and pelvic injuries, a broken hip and severe internal bleeding.

From my side, elephant effect This also happens in traffic accidents. As the General Directorate of Traffic explains in its official journal, “When a passenger riding in the rear seat seat belt not fastened and there is a sudden braking, he hits the person in the front seat force equivalentdepending on its weight and the speed of the car, to the weight of a pachyderm.”

And here we find the answer to Why do many people recommend wearing rear seat belts?. Even if you are traveling alone and there is no one behind you. If we carry something behind us, in the back of a car or in the trunk, in the event of an accident the rear load will be pushed forward. If we are carrying something heavy, it may fly forward and crash into us. And hence causing us great damage due to the elephant effect. DGT gives a numerical example. At a speed of 60 kilometers per hour, passenger or cargo weighing 75 kilograms will strike the front seat with a force equivalent to more than 4 tons.