How do air bags and seat belts protect people?

How air bags and seat belts combined can save your life 

Sometimes there’s a debate on whether or not seat belts are worth wearing. In today’s blog, Carville’s Auto Mart is going to talk about why, when pair together, wearing a seat belt and air bags can save your life. 

In 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 2,456 lives could have been saved if seat belts were worn. The most common injuries linked to not wearing a seat belt is whiplash, vertebral fractures, herniated discs, and spinal cord injury. All of these injuries can have long lasting consequences. Luckily, that is why we have both seat belts and air bags. 

Seat belts and Air bags 

Both air bags and seat belts were meant to work together, not separately. Air bags are for keeping the neck, head, and chest safe. They also provide a cushion between the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield and other nearby surfaces. Seat belts, when properly adjusted, are for support and prevents people from ejecting from their vehicles. As a best practice, have your chest at least 10 inches from the steering wheel to prevent injury from being within the risk zone. 

Child safety 

Children are usually safe to transition from a booster seat to a seat belt around the ages of 8 to 12 years old. You can tell if they fit in the normal sized seat if their back is against the vehicle seat, knees are naturally bent over the edge of the seat and their feet can reach the floor. 

Read more: How to control your car when you blow out a tire 

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