Inflatable Seatbelt

In the past years, car accidents are the leading cause of death. In 2009 alone, crashes killed over 33,000 people and injured another 2.2 million. More than half of the people killed in car crashes were not restrained at the time of the crash. I know most of you guys probably don’t want to hear me talk about statistics or about seatbelts and why you should wear them and listen to some boring speech you have heard time and time again. But please hear me out. You might have excuses that sound logical in your mind, but what are you going to do when your excuses get you killed? First of all, I know most people think that seat belt laws are ridiculous and keep you from having fun.

A seat belt is a restraining device installed in a vehicle to prevent or minimize the force of an injury during a crash (“Seat Belts” 5). Although it is also known as a safety belt, the “safety” part is the key issue that is causing much controversy around drivers, manufacturers, and researchers alike. The main idea around the debate is the fact that although research indicates that when seat belts are used properly they save lives, opponents argue that mandating their use can actually cause more harm than good in some cases and is an infringement on personal rights. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for people

seatbelt on it causes you to fly around the vehicle and potentially hurt yourself and others. They

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “in 2015, seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 13,941 lives” (1). The NHTSA goes on to say that almost 30 million Americans still don’t use seat belts on a daily basis. Since vehicle accidents are among the leading causes of death in the United States and even the world, the argument to improve seat belt technology has increased dramatically. Researchers are often more concerned with whether or not people are wearing their seat belts, not the effectiveness of them, until now, although both are incredibly important. Seat belt safety, which is directly related to seat belt technology, has been shown to be increasingly ineffective because of the high severity

When the car is moving at 70 mph, the passenger/driver is moving at 70 mph. if the car suddenly hits a wall. the car stops moving, but the passenger is still moving at 70 mph... the seat belt prevents the passenger from flying out of the windshield / cutting their head open on the windshield. (this is based on inertia)

Every day, thousands of individuals fall victim to motor vehicle accidents and obtain serious injuries. But in regards to innovations such as seat belts and airbags, this number has decreased. Safety innovations have changed throughout history. In the 1930’s, individuals were required to wear safety glasses in their vehicles, in the late 1950’s, occupants were allowed to choose whether they wanted headrests on the front seats, which we know understand to be a crucial part of a car as it prevents whiplash. More recently there have been new innovations such as tire pressure monitors and traction control which further contributes to reducing the number of roadside accidents. However, it is clear that there is still a large area for improvement.

A young man was being pulled over for not wearing his seat belt, while the officer was writing the violator a citation, a drunk, and speeding driver haphazardly sped past them running into a guiltless bystander. It may seem like having more stringent seat belt laws is a reputable idea; Nevertheless, It is not the most feasible way to maintain safety on the road, Drivers would be safer if they merely exercised some common sense to put down their cell phones and paid attention to the road. Failing to wear a seat belt should not be illegal because it only affects the driver’s safety, it is impractical for police to enforce, and lastly, the majority of people already wears a seat belt.

The idea of a device that could restrain a person from propelling forward in the case of a crash, other than a seatbelt, was what first started the idea and development of the airbag. The version of the airbag that is available has taken time to become what it is today. The road has been long and has involved many turnabouts in the version for what airbags would be expected to do.3 As stated previously, it is now mandatory for new vehicles to contain an airbag and are meant to act as a safety device in addition to a seatbelt. The very first airbag was invented and patented in 1953 and have been commonly available since the late 1980’s.3 There are quite a few different people that take credit for the very first airbag, however it appears that a man by the name of John W. Hetrick of Newport, Pennsylvania did in fact invent the airbag.5 This idea of his was born after a traumatic car crash he experienced with his daughter.5 John swerved his car off the road into a ditch to avoid hitting a rock one day, and in the process, almost throwing his daughter through the windshield.5 This traumatic event set the idea of an airbag in motion and was the beginning of a very successful invention. With the automobile industry starting in the 1950’s, the research

Imagine this, class gets out and it’s the end of summer session. You’re all excited, ready to finally relax after a long 8 weeks. A friend invites you to a party 15 minutes away from your house. You and your friend get in the car, but did not buckle your seatbelts and drove off. Your friend turns to you and says, “ Buckle your seatbelt.” You response, “ We’re only driving for a couple of blocks. Nothing is going to happen to us.” When suddenly a car driving on the opposite side of the street crushes into your car. The next thing you know you are in the hospital with server fractures. Meanwhile, your friend only has a few scratches. You were one of the few fortunate ones to survive a car accident without wearing a seatbelt. The seatbelt remains one of the most overlooked devices that can preserve lives. Wearing seat belts is essential to increase the survival rate in car accidents, however not everyone agrees with the importance of wearing a set belt. Three important aspects of wearing a seatbelt are help spread out any force from a collision,

Namely, the seat belt works in endless ways to shield drivers and passengers from potential danger on the road. For example, in her article concerning seat belts, Beth Orenstein mentions that in the case of a collision or accident, the seat belt performs an effective job by preventing drivers and passengers from being ejected out of the car, spreading the force out from the crash to avert any acute injuries, and helping the body slow down while the collision impact continues to affect the car (Orenstein 1). Furthermore, Tom Harris reinforces Orenstein’s facts in his own article and states that seat belts keep drivers inside their cars by working against inertia, which is “an object’s tendency to keep moving” (Harris 2). Thus, when a moving car comes to an abrupt halt, the human body is restrained by the shoulder and lap belts so as not to be hurdled out the window. Unmistakably, seat belts save thousands of lives each year and to make amplified use of this revolutionary technology can save thousands more. Given this, it is evident that the seat belt is not a mere accessory that accompanies any car; without it, fatal injuries are exceedingly probable and the risk of death is also drastically

The original seat belt was invented in the late 1800s by George Cayley to help keep pilots from falling out of gliders. On February 10, 1885, the first patented seat belt was designed by Edward J. Claghorn to protect passengers riding in taxis in New York City and eventually, became installed in manufactured cars for driver and passenger safety (Vehicular Safety Devices, 2017). In 1930, U.S. physicians began testing lap belts after a myriad of people died as a result of car crashes (Imre & Cotetiu, 2014). Over time the three-point seat belt system was developed by Nils Bohlin as a better way to restrain occupants (History of the Seat Belt, 2009). This system, found in most vehicles today, restrains the upper and lower part of the body (Irme & Cotetiu,

Safety is the first thing that should come to mind when riding in a car. There are many advertisements that promote wearing a seatbelt all the time while driving or simply being a passenger. It has been advertised through images, posters, commercials, and through social media. Some images are more effective than others, because it uses a powerful meaning or song details. The reason tis due to many fatal injuries and deaths have occurring for not wearing a seatbelt. Injuries are also the reason behind those specific laws requiring to wear a seatbelt. It is it not worth sacrificing a life, especially that of life of a young child, because the injury could have been prevented. It is up to the reader to clearly understand the message to have an effective life.

Seatbelts contain two main parts, a lap belt and a shoulder belt and are secured to the frame of the car. They have been proven to reduce and prevent injury in the event of a car accident by keeping the passenger in their seat. In addition, seatbelts can extend and retract however, in the likelihood of a collision, the belt tightens up to hold the passenger in place so that they do not go through the windshield when the car goes to a sudden stop.

Newton’s law of inertia states “…an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” In the event that a person who is not wearing a seatbelt gets into a collision they will continue to stay in motion until they hit the dashboard, windshield or etc. The way to prevent injuries from occurring during a collision would be wearing your seatbelt as it stops the forward momentum.

Prevent ejection-Passenger vehicles are designed to keep people inside the vehicle where they can be protected. People thrown from a vehicle are four times more likely to be killed than those who stayed inside. One of the most common myths about safety belt use is that you are better off being “thrown clear” of a crash. Statistics prove otherwise. Contact the body at the strongest parts of its structure: For an older child or adult, these parts are the hips and shoulders. For an infant and young children, there is really no part strong enough, so the child restraint supports the entire body to avoid stress on any one part.