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How Does it Work /
Seat Belts
How Seat Belts Work
Seat belts, also known as safety belts, are a safety
feature that secures the passenger in the vehicle seat in case of an
accident. Seat belts are part of the occupant restraint system that helps to
avoid harmful movement of the passengers, which could lead to injuries and also
protects the occupants from being ejected from the vehicle. Many seat belt
designs have been developed for several different applications. The most common
safety belt is the three point seat belt found in most cars. This belt is
attached in three places; two mount near the rear of the seat bottom and one
towards the top of the side pillar.
Car Safety Belt
Safety belts are worn over the waist and shoulder and are usually
automatically adjusted by a seat belt tension device. The Harness style of
safety belts is worn diagonally over the chest. This five point harness seat
belt is meant for children's car seats and racing applications. They provide
extra safety and consist of two shoulder belts and a lap portion, which is
connected to a belt between the legs.
Safety Belt Receptacle
Active Seat Belts
Active seat belts are also known as inertia belts. They increase their
effectiveness by self-adjusting to the occupant in the event of an accident.
This is done by tightening the belt instantly with the help of a piston, which
is driven by expanding gas. In older non-airbag vehicles the belt is locked with
the use of inertia to keep the belt from loosening. Active seat belts are
triggered by sensors placed in the car, like the air bag
system. The function of the web-clamps is to clamp the webbing as the webbing is
tightened on the central drum, when the car encounters an accident. It is
created with a special stitch which rips when it determines pressure. This
functionality is useful when the occupant is trapped in a fire inside the car
and the seat belt won't let go. The active seat belt concept combined with the
three point seat belts produce a much safer vehicle.
The seat belt light on the dashboard indicates when the seat belt has been fastened
properly. A warning sound is also given for few seconds before the light switches
off in most vehicles. A study has revealed that the occupants of a vehicle who wear seat belts, along
with air bags safety systems will survive an accident better than the occupants
of a vehicle that don't.
How Does it Work
/ Seat Belts
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