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April: Why Safety Belts?

This document discusses the importance of wearing safety belts when driving or operating powered industrial vehicles. It describes the three collisions that occur in a crash: 1) the car's collision where the vehicle buckles on impact, 2) the human collision where unbelted occupants slam into parts of the vehicle's interior, and 3) the internal collision where internal organs continue moving and collide with other organs or skeletal structures. The document emphasizes that safety belts distribute crash forces over stronger parts of the body and slow occupants down more gradually than without a belt, reducing injuries and saving lives.

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67 views

April: Why Safety Belts?

This document discusses the importance of wearing safety belts when driving or operating powered industrial vehicles. It describes the three collisions that occur in a crash: 1) the car's collision where the vehicle buckles on impact, 2) the human collision where unbelted occupants slam into parts of the vehicle's interior, and 3) the internal collision where internal organs continue moving and collide with other organs or skeletal structures. The document emphasizes that safety belts distribute crash forces over stronger parts of the body and slow occupants down more gradually than without a belt, reducing injuries and saving lives.

Uploaded by

east
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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S&W READY MIX CONCRETE COMPANY

CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL / SAFETY PROGRAM April


Why Safety Belts? - MONTHLY TRAINING TOPIC

Whether you are driving to work or driving a powered industrial truck at work, safety belt use is
important each and every time you get behind the wheel.

Why Safety Belts?

To understand the value of safety belt use, it's important to understand some of
the dynamics of a crash. Every motor vehicle crash is actually comprised of three
collisions.

The Car's Collision


The first collision is known as the car's collision, which causes
the car to buckle and bend as it hits something and comes to an
abrupt stop. This occurs in approximately one-tenth of a
second. The crushing of the front end absorbs some of the force
of the crash and cushions the rest of the car. As a result, the
passenger compartment comes to a more gradual stop than the
front of the car.

The Human Collision


The second collision occurs as the car's occupants hit some part of the vehicle. At the moment of
impact, unbelted occupants are still traveling at the vehicle's original speed. Just after the vehicle
comes to a complete stop, these unbelted occupants will slam into the steering wheel, the
windshield, or some other part of the vehicle interior. This is the human collision.

Another form of human collision is the person-to-person impact. Many serious injuries are
caused by unbelted occupants colliding with each other. In a crash, occupants tend to move
toward the point of impact, not away from it. People in the front seat are often struck by unbelted
rear-seat passengers who have become high-speed projectiles.

The Internal Collision


Even after the occupant's body comes to a complete stop, the internal
organs are still moving forward. Suddenly, these organs hit other organs
or the skeletal system. This third collision is the internal collision and
often causes serious or fatal injuries.

So, Why Safety Belts? During a crash, properly fastened safety belts distribute the forces of
rapid deceleration over larger and stronger parts of the person's body, such as the chest, hips and
shoulders. The safety belt stretches slightly to slow your body down and to increase its stopping
distance.

The difference between the belted person's stopping distance and the unbelted person's stopping
distance is significant. It's often the difference between life and death.

2012 Safety Training

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