The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says in a new report that safer restraint systems are needed for the backseats of cars.
In this podcast: Russ Rader talks about the study and the simple upgrades they believe need to be implemented.
As Rader notes, there are 2 seatbelt systems already being used in the front seats that could easily be implemented in the backseat: the pre-tension mechanism and the force limiter. In the study, many chest injuries may have been avoided using those two tools.
As soon as a frontal collision starts, seat belts in the front seat tighten around the occupants, thanks to embedded devices called crash tensioners. At the same time, the front airbags deploy within a fraction of a second. Depending on the crash configuration, the side airbags may deploy too.
The tightened belts and deployed airbags keep the front-seat occupants safely away from the steering wheel, instrument panel and other structure when the vehicle stops abruptly, even if the force of the crash pushes that structure inward. To reduce the risk of chest injuries, these belts also have force limiters, which allow some webbing to spool out before forces from the belt get too high.
In the rear seat, side airbags protect passengers in a side crash, but there are no front airbags, and the seat belts generally lack crash tensioners and force limiters.
And, listen to the podcast above for more information!
Additional content:
KFGO Podcast –
The deregulation of cherry pie
KFGO Podcast –
The Mechanic Is In: Potholes, Strange Sounds, the “Death Wobble” & more!
KFGO Podcast –
How does a “good guy” go bad?
KFGO Podcast –
After dozens of infant deaths, many calling for recall of inclined sleepers
(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Check out the show page on
FACEBOOK.
Follow Amy on Twitter
@AmyKFGO
. Follow JJ on Twitter
@JJGodon701
.)
