Seatbelts greatly reduce the risk of being killed or seriously injured in a road crash.
Despite the facts, not everyone chooses to wear a seatbelt every time they travel in a vehicle. Young men are less likely to wear seatbelts, and failing to wear a seatbelt is often linked with other risky behaviours, including excessive alcohol use.
There are still many common myths about seatbelts, but the facts clearly show how important they are.
Crashes can happen anywhere, including close to home where people often drive most. This also applies on farms, properties, and private roads where people may feel more relaxed about wearing a seatbelt. Unexpected hazards like loose gravel, hidden dips, animals, or rough terrain can still lead to a crash.
Even at lower speeds, sudden stops, bumps, or collisions can cause a person’s body to hit the steering wheel, dashboard, windows, roof, or other passengers with significant force.
Wearing a seatbelt correctly helps reduce the risk of serious harm in a crash.
Airbags are designed to work together with seatbelts, not replace them.
In a crash, a seatbelt helps slow the body and keeps people in the correct position before they hit the airbag. Airbags can deploy at speeds of up to 300 km/h. Without a seatbelt, a person may hit the airbag too fast or from the wrong position, increasing the risk of serious injury.
A seatbelt can only protect people properly if it is worn correctly. Wearing a seatbelt under the arm changes how crash forces move through the body and can increase the risk of serious injury.
A seatbelt should sit firmly across strong bones in the chest and hips — not across the neck, under the arm, or behind the body.
Seatbelts are designed to help keep people safely inside the vehicle during a crash. Being thrown from a vehicle greatly increases the risk of serious injury or death.
To protect people properly, seatbelts need to be worn correctly and kept in good condition.
