Seat belt safety tips for passengers and drivers

Our Pennsylvania law firm is pleased to provide the following seat belt safety tips:

• Always buckle up before driving or riding in a car.
• A lap belt should be worn low across the hips and under the abdomen. The shoulder belt should come over the collar bone away from the neck and cross over the breast bone. In most new cars, the shoulder belt can be adjusted on the side pillar to improve fit.
• To avoid serious injury, always wear a lap/shoulder belt. This will keep you at a safe distance from the dashboard and the air bag. Air bags deploy very quickly and forcefully. They can cause serious injury or even death when they deploy and a person is too close to the dashboard.
• Never place children of any age in the front passenger seat. The back seat is the safest place for children, so long as they are properly restrained. All young children should be secured in an appropriate child safety seat. Older children should be secured by a lap/shoulder safety belt.
• Never place a child in a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat of a car with an air bag. Because the back of the child safety seat sits very close to the dashboard, it could be struck with incredible force by a deploying air bag and cause serious injury and even death.

Seat belt safety tips for pregnant drivers

Pregnant women shoulder remember that a baby's first ride is in the mother's womb. Protect your baby while driving or riding in a car.

• Always buckle up and make sure the safety belt fits snugly. Belts worn too loosely can cause broken ribs or injuries to your belly. However, always remember that more damage is caused when seats belts aren't used at all.
• Place the lap belt low on your hipbones and below your belly. Never put the lap belt across your belly.
• Place the shoulder belt across the center of the chest between the breasts, and never under the arm.
• Never slip the upper part of the belt off your shoulder. Safety belts that are worn too high can cause broken ribs or injuries to your belly. Again, remember that more damage is caused when safety belts aren't used at all.
• If the car is equipped with an air bag, pregnant drivers should make certain that the wheel is tilted toward their chest, not their abdomen or head.

Injured in a car accident? Put our experience to work for you.

For over 25 years, our attorneys have represented more than 30,000 people who have been injured in all types of accidents including car accidents. In addition our legal team has answered over 350,000 injury-related legal questions. When an injury from a car accident occurs and legal help is needed, experience counts.

Free Legal Evaluation

If you, or someone you care about, have been injured in a car accident, you can contact our law firm for a free evaluation by:

• Filling out a simple online form so we can evaluate your claim
• Calling toll free 1-866-227-6038. Our phones answer 24 hours a day/7 days a week

Our law firm will evaluate your claim free of charge and advise you on your legal rights to collect compensation. There is no obligation to use our services, and there is never a fee unless we get money for you.