April 2007 Safety Tip

Seat Belts

• Always wear your seat belt. Insist that passengers wear theirs as well. A person who is not wearing their seatbelt can become a hazard to others during an accident.
• Always wear both the lap belt and shoulder belt. The lap belt should be positioned across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt should be across the chest.
• Never slip the shoulder belt behind your body. Without the shoulder belt support you may be thrown into the dashboard or steering wheel during an accident.
• Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm. If it is improperly positioned during impact, you may suffer broken ribs.
• Be sure the belt fits snugly against your body.
• Pregnant women should wear their seatbelts.
• Avoid holding objects in your hands while driving. They may be driven into your chest or face during an air bag deployment.
• Move the front seats back. During an accident this may help prevent injuries from air bag deployment or keep you from hitting an object in front of you. You should be at least ten inches from the airbag and seated toward it.
• Children under the age of 12 should always ride in the back seat.
• Children in safety seats should ride in age- and size-appropriate seats. Child seats should never be placed in the front seat.