Seat Belts and Airbags

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Advantages of Seat Belts and Airbags

Seat belts and car air bags keep drivers safe and insurance premiums low.  The biggest advantage these devices provide is a drastic improvement in your personal driving safety.

For example, seat belts have been proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45% for front seat car passengers and nearly 60% for passengers in pickup trucks, SUVs and mini-vans.  Airbags, meanwhile, save thousands of life each year by lowering the risk of accident fatalities by at least 10% for both passengers and the driver. Passenger safety tips should be followed quite carefully as well.

Seat Belts In Action

Seat belts save more than lives—they also save the American economy billions of dollars each year. According to a recent report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administraton, seat belts have prevented more than 4 million injuries since 1976 and saved more than 150,000 lives.  The associated savings in medical costs amount to an extraordinary 585 billion dollars. The NHTSA report also theorizes that if seatbelt use had approached 100 percent over the last 30 years, then around 315,000 deaths and 5.2 million injuries could have been prevented, for a savings of nearly a trillion dollars.

Airbags in Action

According to the most recent statistics from the NHTSA, air bags have saved over 10,000 from their inception as standard safety devices in the mid 1990s to the beginning of 2003.  Airbag technology continues to improve each year, and new side airbag and roof airbag technology promises and even greater level of safety in years to come.

Airbag Safety Tips

  • Always wear your seatbelt—regardless of your vehicle’s airbag system.  In most air bag accidents resulting in fatality, the victim had failed to wear a seat belt.  Airbags are meant to work in conjunction with seat belt restraint systems—not as a substitute for them.  Passengers without a seat belt are especially at risk.  Lack of seat belt restraint can bring a passenger much too close to a rapidly deploying airbag during an extreme braking event.
  • Position yourself at least ten inches away from the steering wheel.  Most drivers suffering airbag injuries are hurt because they’re sitting too close to the steering wheel and, consequently, the air bag.
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  • Passengers should position themselves as far away from the dashboard as possible.  The idea is to give the airbag time to inflate before you come into contact with it. 
  • Try to drive with your steering wheel adjusted downward, with your hands on the wheel at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock position.  This is the ideal position for possible airbag deployment
  • Note: Airbags are unsafe for children under 12 years old, who should always ride in an appropriate restraint device in the back seat of any vehicle.

Seat Belt and Airbag Insurance Discounts

It’s little wonder then that auto insurers offer premium discounts for automobiles with the latest seat belt and airbag technology.  Be sure to ask your insurance carrier if your receiving the proper discounts for your vehicle’s seat belt and airbag package.  In addition, be sure to buckle up at all times.  Being cited by law enforcement for not wearing your seatbelt can lead to a corresponding hike in your insurance premiums.