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The danger of not using the seat belt
Even at low speeds the forces acting on the body in a collision are so great
that it is not possible to brace oneself with one's hands. In a frontal colli-
sion, unbelted passengers are thrown forward and will make violent contact
with the steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen or whatever else is in the
⇒ F ig.
way
8.
It is also important for the rear passengers to fasten their seat belts correct-
ly, as they could otherwise be thrown violently around the vehicle interior in
the event of an accident. Passengers in the rear seats who do not use seat
belts endanger not only themselves but also the front occupants
Safety
Fig. 8 A driver not wear-
ing a seat belt is thrown
forward violently
Fig. 9 The unbelted pas-
senger in the rear seat is
thrown forward violently,
hitting the driver who is
wearing a seat belt.
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Operation
Seat belt protection
Correctly worn seat belts hold the occupants in the correct position. They al-
so help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could lead to severe inju-
ries and reduce the danger of being thrown from the vehicle in the event of
an accident.
Vehicle occupants wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the
ability of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front part of your vehicle
and other passive safety features, such as the airbag system, are also de-
signed to absorb the kinetic energy released in a collision. Taken together,
all these features reduce the releasing kinetic energy and consequently, the
risk of injury. This is why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every
trip, even when "just driving around the corner".
Ensure that your passengers wear their seat belts as well. Accident statistics
have shown that wearing seat belts is an effective means of substantially
reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a seri-
ous accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection
provided by airbags in the event of an accident. For this reason, wearing a
seat belt is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be fas-
tened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
9.
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
Advice
Seat belts
Fig. 10 Drivers with cor-
rectly fastened seat belts
will not be thrown for-
ward in the event of sud-
den braking.
Technical specifications
19
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