When will safety belts serve their function?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
A. When they are properly adjusted and fastened.
Explanation
In the photo you can see a bus driver's seat with a seat belt running diagonally across the seat to the buckle. Seat belts will do their job if they are properly adjusted and fastened - answer A.
The Road Traffic Act requires the driver and the people being carried to use seat belts while driving if the vehicle is fitted with them - this also applies to a bus driver. A belt works only when it fits closely to the body: the lap part should lie low on the pelvic bones, and the shoulder part should cross the middle of the collarbone. A lot of slack at the hips (answer B) means that in a collision the body first moves forward and only then is jerked violently, and the belt may dig into the abdomen. A belt running close to the neck (answer C) can damage the larynx and the cervical spine in an impact. You adjust the height of the belt anchorage so that the belt lies on your shoulder.
Legal basis: Art. 39 para. 1 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)