Seat ALHAMBRA Owner's Manual page 21

It is easy to explain how the laws of physics work in the case of a head-on
collision: when a vehicle starts moving
amount of energy known as "kinetic energy" both in the vehicle and in the
occupants.
The higher the speed and the greater the weight of the vehicle, the more
energy there is to be absorbed in an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. If the speed
doubles from 25 km/h to 50 km/h, for example, the kinetic energy is multi-
plied by four.
The amount of "kinetic energy" depends on the speed of the vehicle and the
weight of the vehicle and its passengers. The higher the speed and the
greater the weight of the vehicle and the occupants, the more energy there is
to be absorbed in an accident.
Passengers not wearing seat belts are not "attached" to the vehicle. As a
result, in a frontal collision they will continue to move forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the impact until something stops
them! Because the passengers in our example are not restrained by seat
belts, all of the passengers' kinetic energy has to be absorbed at the point of
impact page 18, fig. 6.
At speeds of 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces acting on bodies in a collision
can easily exceed one tonne (1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are even
higher.
This example applies not only to frontal accidents, but to all accidents and
collisions.
Safety First
page 18, fig. 5, there is a certain
Operating instructions
Dangers of not using the seat belt
Many people believe that the occupants can protect themselves with their
hands in a minor collision. This is false!
Practical tips
Seat belts
Fig. 7 A driver not
wearing a seat belt is
thrown forward violently.
Fig. 8 The unbelted rear
passenger is thrown
forward violently, hitting
the driver wearing a seat
belt.
Technical Data
19