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Car seat belts and safety

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  • 07-01-2024 12:49pm
    #1
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭


    Yesterday my son was in a car crash. The car was a write off but thankfully he walked away from it and the other person accepted complete responsibility. However he has rib pain from the seatbelt locking tight and the (9) airbags deploying. All of which did what they should and saved him from injury or worse.

    However I have been aware for a long time that as I am driving in my own car (Toyota Yaris Hybrid) the seat belt does not stay in place. I am tall, older and 'well-built' (ok then, a bit overweight) so it is not a height issue. The belt starts off between my boobs and over my shoulder but quickly moves to across the side of my neck and above my left breast, as though it is designed for someone taller. I am exactly average height for a man, so presumably the height the belts were designed for; it seems to be body shape generally that is the issue. Though if I were shorter - more average size for a woman - it seems to me the situation would be worse.

    In a crash situation I imagine the belt would lock across the side of my neck, which seems dangerous.

    Does anyone else have issues with seat belts, or is there anything can be done about it?



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    #2
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,010 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    You can adjust the height of the seatbelt to sit properly on your body.



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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I just thought to check on google (I had tried the Toyota sites and no mention) and there is no shoulder adjustment on this make/model. Pity, otherwise I like the car but that would stop me getting another one.



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    #4
    Dial Hard
    Registered Users Posts: 13,383 ✭✭✭✭Dial Hard


    It seems bonkers to me that the seat belts aren't adjustable in the car, but yes, pretty much everything is designed with the male body as the default, and women and children are basically just considered smaller versions of that, which obviously isn't the case. Caroline Criado Perez's book Invisible Women is extremely interesting. See also https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/23/truth-world-built-for-men-car-crashes



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    #5
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,873 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    You can get seat belt adjusters. But even if you don't use an adjuster the potential injury from a seat belt not fitting correctly is a lot less than the potential injury from not using it correctly.

    Seat belt adjuster Universal Comfort Automotive seat belt cover clip locator lock belt shoulder strap shoulder pad (2 packs) https://amzn.eu/d/6gWE4PR



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