As many people know, seat belts reduce the risk of serious injury by about 50%. Therefore it is crucial for both drivers and passengers alike to wear one at all times. For women who are pregnant, wearing a seat belt correctly is especially important. Depending on the severity of the injury, being involved in a vehicular accident can increase the risk of serious pregnancy complications such as placental abruption, premature rupture of the membranes (PROM), preterm labor, miscarriage, or even stillbirth. Below are a few seat belt tips you should follow if you are pregnant.
#1. To begin with, you will probably be safest wearing a lap and shoulder belt combination, as this provides the most protection. Other belts can be worn too, but this type is recommended.
#2. The way the lap belt would be worn is below your belly, touching your thighs. It should be placed low and snug on your hips. Failing to wear it this way may result in less protection.
#3. Your belt should never be worn above or across your belly.
#4. You should always make sure to wear the shoulder belt snugly across the middle of your chest and shoulder.
#5. You should refrain from slipping the shoulder belt behind your back or beneath your arm at any time. Even though this is sometimes an impulsive thing to do for more comfort, remember that it will leave you less protected.
#6. If you are the driver, make sure your belly is situated a safe distance from the airbag. At least 10 inches should separate your breastbone from the dashboard or steering wheel. Of course, as your belly grows you may find yourself needing to move your seat back more to be seated safely.
#7. If your car has been recently involved in an accident, you want to make sure that your seat belts, along with everything else in your car, are still properly working. If your seat belts have deployed, your airbag module may have stored crash data and hard codes. For this, an airbag module reset would be necessary. The company Safety Restore provides airbag module reset services for only a fraction of the price dealer charges! The quality is impeccable too. Get your airbag module reset at Safety Restore so that you and your belly could be driving safely.
