Passengers not wearing seat belts risk severe injuries in the event of an accident.

Fig. 10 Driver protected by the properly worn seat belt during a sudden braking manoeuvre.

Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting positions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an accident.

Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could lead to severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the danger of being thrown from the car.

Passengers wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front crumple zones and other passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to absorb the kinetic energy generated in a collision. Taken together, all these features reduce the forces acting on the occupants and consequently the risk of injury.

Our examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts reduce substantially the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. 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 properly worn seat belts to be an effective means of substantially reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a serious 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 fastened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, rolls or accidents in which the airbag trigger threshold in the control unit is not exceeded.

Therefore, you should always wear your seat belt and ensure that your passengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!