The belt is a passive safety element that is equipped in all cars. In Spain it is mandatory in the front seats since 1975, and in the rear since 1992, so we all have to fasten our seat belts every time we get into a car. Before starting the march we must make sure that it is well positioned, since the Traffic and Road Safety Law punishes not using the seat belt in the same way as not doing it correctly. That is, with an economic fine of 200 euros and the deduction of 4 points from the driver's license.
Even so, each year the Traffic Directorate imposes thousands of fines on drivers and occupants of vehicles for not wearing a seat belt or for using it incorrectly. The figures are so alarming that Tráfico carries out specific campaigns to verify the correct use of this security element. In one of these latest campaigns, carried out at the end of March on the roads under its jurisdiction, agents from the Traffic group of the Civil Guard controlled nearly 400,000 vehicles and filed 5,405 complaints for not wearing a seat belt.
The simple gesture of pulling the belt buckle and fastening it to the hook located on the seat base saves lives. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death by 50% and the risk of serious injury by 75%, since it is in fact the only brake on the body in the event of an impact.
When we put on the belt, a detail that is integrated into the belt usually goes unnoticed. It is a small button that acts as a stop so that the buckle does not slide along the strap. In this way, every time we pull the belt we can do it through the buckle that we must then fit with the attachment point located next to the seat.
If this button was missing or accidentally disengaged it would be much more difficult to find the buckle. Instead of finding it at shoulder height, as we normally do, we should pick it up from the floor of the car since it would move towards one end of the belt under its own weight.
This is the reason why manufacturers place this small plastic stopper in the belt fabric and that allows us to fasten this safety element with relative ease. The button also serves so that the belt is completely flat and does not present knots or folds.
If the button comes off the belt, it is advisable to replace it with a new one that can be purchased through the large online sales platforms. Failure to do so will cause the buckle to stay loose and slide down to the end of the strap, making it difficult to move to position it correctly.
The belt, as the DGT reminds us in its publications, must fit snugly against the body, avoiding slack. For this reason, tweezers or clothing that is too bulky should not be used, which may reduce its effectiveness. It is also not convenient to sit on towels or cushions since the retention capacity will not be the same and the body can slide under the abdominal band in the event of a collision, causing the so-called 'submarine effect'.
The top of the tape should go over the clavicle, between the neck and the shoulder. In no case should you do it by the neck, because it could cause serious injuries in the event of an accident.
