What is a Seatbelt? | Car Safety Features Explained
Published Date: 3rd Mar 2023
The seatbelt is a critical safety feature in cars that has saved countless lives since its invention.
An English engineer named George Cayley invented it in the mid-19th century, although the seatbelt has gone through many iterations to become the effective safety device it is today.
What Is a Seatbelt?
A seatbelt is a device that is designed to keep occupants in their seats during a collision or sudden stop. It works by restraining the body and preventing it from being thrown forward or sideways. A seatbelt typically consists of a lap belt and a diagonal belt, which are secured to the car's frame or body.
The lap belt is designed to fit across the occupant's hips, while the diagonal belt is designed to fit over the occupant's shoulder and across the chest. Together, the lap and diagonal belt distribute the collision forces across the body, reducing the risk of injury.
Who Invented the Seatbelt?
As mentioned, the seatbelt was invented by an English engineer named George Cayley in the mid-19th century. However, it wasn't until the 1960s that the seatbelt became mandatory in the UK.
George Cayley was an English engineer and inventor who was born in 1773 and lived until 1857. He is considered one of the founding fathers of aeronautics and made significant contributions to the fields of aviation and engineering. In addition to his work on flight, Cayley was also the inventor of the seatbelt, which he designed in the mid-19th century. His early design consisted of a simple belt attached to a buckle and was intended to keep passengers in their seats during a crash or sudden stop. Although his initial design was not widely used, it paved the way for the development of modern seatbelts, which have saved countless lives since becoming mandatory in many countries around the world.
The modern three-point seatbelt, which is widely used in cars today, was invented by Nils Bohlin, a Swedish engineer who worked for the Volvo Car Corporation. Bohlin developed the three-point seatbelt in 1959, and it quickly became a standard safety feature in all Volvo cars. The three-point seatbelt is considered one of the most significant automotive safety inventions and has saved countless lives since its invention.
The seatbelt was not widely used in cars until much later.
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How Has the Seatbelt Impacted Car Safety?
Seatbelts have significantly impacted car safety since becoming mandatory in the UK. According to the UK Department for Transport, seatbelts saved an estimated 21,407 lives in the UK between 1983 and 2018. Seatbelts have also been shown to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a car accident by up to 50 per cent.
In addition to saving lives and preventing injuries, seatbelts have also played a role in reducing the severity of injuries in car accidents. By keeping occupants in their seats, seatbelts reduce the risk of ejection from the vehicle, which is a leading cause of serious injury and death in car accidents.
The seatbelt is a critical safety feature in cars that has saved countless lives since its invention. In the UK, seatbelt became mandatory in the 1960s and has significantly impacted car safety since then. Seatbelts work by restraining the body and preventing it from being thrown forward or sideways during a collision or sudden stop. They have saved thousands of lives in the UK and have been shown to reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a car accident by up to 50 per cent.
As a UK driver, always wearing your seatbelt to stay safe on the road is critically important to your safety.