In most European countries, only one in five drivers fastens their seat belt. The French do so most often—in the country as a whole, 97% of people travelling in the front seats and 68% in the rear seats fasten their seat belts.

Unfortunately, Poles have not developed the habit of fastening their seat belts before setting off. On average, only 71% of people travelling in the front seats choose to fasten their belts, and only 40% of those in the rear seats do so.

The fatality rate in road accidents in Poland is exceptionally high compared with other European countries. For every 100 accidents in our country, almost 12 people die, while the average in EU countries is “only” 3 people. This is accompanied by a high percentage of post-accident injuries leading to permanent disability.

Traffic police: why is it worth fastening your soul to your body?

  • fastened seat belts at least double the chances of surviving a car accident
  • belts securing the driver to the car enable a better feel for the vehicle’s movements and greater steering precision
  • an airbag protects the head from injury, a correctly adjusted head restraint protects the neck, and a fastened seat belt protects the entire body.

Properly fastened seat belts should lie flat against the body. The lap belt should fit around the hips as low as possible in relation to the abdomen. The chest belt should run over the centre of the shoulder, without tending to slip off the arm.

If you are wearing thick clothing, unfasten your coat, jacket or blazer and position the belt straps as close to your body as possible. After fastening the buckle, pull the chest belt tight to remove any slack. A belt works more effectively the more closely it fits the person it is protecting. Modern self-tensioning belts do not restrict movement, but they can become excessively loose! Therefore, learn to pull the belt tight from time to time so that it lies against your chest and hips.

Everyone occupying a seat equipped with a belt should fasten it before the vehicle starts moving. It is in the interests of those sitting in front that those in the rear fasten their belts too. The laws of physics are merciless to people involved in accidents. In a head-on collision, an unbelted passenger sitting in the rear will break through the back of the front seat and crush the person sitting in it.

A belt will not prevent a person lying on a reclined seat from sliding underneath it, nor will it prevent someone who was leaning forward at the moment of the accident from hitting the dashboard. The only position offering a good chance of survival is a seated position.

A seat belt is the best protection for the driver and passengers when used together with a correctly adjusted head restraint and an airbag. The head restraint protects the neck from very dangerous and painful injuries if the head is suddenly thrown backwards, while the airbag protects the head and chest from hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or front pillar; however, properly fastened seat belts are the foundation of safety! They will keep every belted person in a safe position even during a vehicle rollover or other uncontrolled movements.

A properly fastened seat belt makes it easier for the driver to control the car, especially on bends and uneven roads. Instead of gripping the steering wheel tightly, the driver can turn it precisely. In addition, being “attached” to the car makes it possible to feel every unexpected movement of the vehicle, such as rear-axle or front-wheel skids, and react immediately.

YOU DON’T FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT FOR THE POLICE; YOU FASTEN IT FOR YOURSELF—to FEEL THE CAR BETTER AND CONTROL IT, AND TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.

Seat belts will not save your life if you hit a hard obstacle at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour or more. But remember! You can lose your life without a fastened seat belt in a collision at a speed of just 20–30 km/h. Therefore, in the city, especially when driving at low speeds, fastened seat belts are the best guarantee of survival.

NO MORE EFFECTIVE WAY HAS BEEN INVENTED TO FASTEN THE SOUL TO THE BODY IN A CAR THAN A FASTENED SEAT BELT.

When a car travelling at around 50 km/h collides with a stationary massive obstacle, an enormous force of acceleration acts on the people inside; a person weighing 75 kg momentarily has a “collision mass” of around 3,750 kg. No one can withstand such force. The person will be thrown onto the dashboard or through the window, and their body will be crushed unless it is restrained by properly fastened seat belts.

The purpose of seat belts is to “attach” a person to the seat and keep them in a seated position at the moment of impact, so that their body does not hit the hard elements of the cabin or fall out of it.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT OR YOU WILL PAY.... WITH YOUR LIFE, HEALTH OR A FINE. ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS.