Seatbelt use

Correctly fitted seatbelts are designed to protect drivers and passengers in a crash. They are used on their own or with vehicle restraint systems.

Wearing a correctly fitted seatbelt is very important for safety. It cuts the risk of being killed in a crash by up to 50 per cent. Seatbelts can also reduce injuries.

Seatbelts have four key functions that reduce the risk of injury and death in a crash. This includes:

• Causing the person to slow down at the same rate as the vehicle during a crash
• Spreading the force of the impact over the stronger parts of the body (pelvis and chest area)
• Minimising the person hitting the inside of the vehicle or other people in the car
• Reducing the risk of being thrown out of the vehicle.

How seatbelts are used

Vehicle seatbelts are used on their own or with a vehicle restraint system, such as a child restraint. Examples are provided below to illustrate the different vehicle restraint systems seatbelts are often used with.

Mia (pictured below) travels in an Australian standard car seat. The seatbelt is used to install the car seat (with the top tether), with the built-in harness providing protection for Mia if a crash occurs.

Lachlan (pictured below) travels in a special purpose car seat. The seatbelt is used around Lachlan to provide crash protection. The built-in harness provides postural support only.

The young person below is travelling in a specialty harness. The seatbelt is being used around them to provide crash protection. The specialty harness is for postural support and to reduce the risk of the person getting out of their seatbelt while the vehicle is moving

Erica (pictured below) travels in a vehicle seatbelt, designed to protect her in a crash. Her mother is making sure that the seatbelt is correctly fastened and adjusted. We’ll learn more about correct seatbelt fit in the next step.