Nowadays, it’s not unusual to encounter a repetitive ding sound or a flashing light until you wear your seat belt when you enter a car. In truth, at this point, it’s pretty much instinct to put on a seat belt as soon as you ride a vehicle.
While wearing one is a great step towards preventive measures in case of an accident, it doesn’t always guarantee walking away from one scot-free. The general idea is for seat belts to prevent fatalities or particularly serious injuries.
All of that said, seat belts can lead to injuries, too, primarily when you wear them incorrectly. Read on to learn more about seat belt injuries that commonly happen in car accidents:
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Bleeding & Internal Damage
An auto injury doctor must rule out internal injuries when you have a fractured sternum or a rib. Internal bleeding may also be occurring, which needs immediate attention. The rib cage serves to protect vital organs like the heart and lungs. Any damage to the ribs could dislodge them or, worse, puncture them.
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Broken Bones & Fractures
Broken bones and other related injuries are far less common but still just as possible. They’re particularly prone to happening when a serious car accident occurs. During a collision, a seat belt restraining your body from fully ejecting can place enough pressure on your chest and ribs to the point of breakage.
In some cases, pressure from a severe accident will lead to a full-on fracture or two. Issues can also happen to the sternum—the bone connecting to the rib cage located in the middle of the chest.
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Bruises & Cuts
Some of the most typical seat belt injuries involve bruises and cuts. They tend to happen when an accident’s force makes a body strain against the seat belt. The impact also plays a role in the possibility of your shoulder showing visible bruising. A scrape or cut along the neck and shoulder can also happen, but only when there’s extreme force involved.
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Dislocated Joints & Torn Muscles
The force from an accident will end up triggering a seat belt’s purpose altogether. It will prevent severe injuries, holding up your body well to save it from extreme tension. However, seat belt-related injuries tend to show up in the shoulder area more than anything during a serious auto accident. The pressure can lead to damage to the tendons and muscles in the shoulders.
Seat Belt Injury Symptoms
Car accident injuries can lead to adrenaline or shock. It can also involve a momentary difficulty in noticing injuries, if any, and their severity. The total discomfort and pain scale of the body will come to pass over hours or days. Bruises, in particular, take quite a while to show up, unlike instantly evident scrapes, cuts, and the like.
Conclusion
Wearing a seat belt is vital for safety when you’re riding in a vehicle. However, when a car accident happens, injuries from seat belts can manifest as well. Be wary of dislocated joints and torn muscles, bleeding and internal damage, broken bones and fractures, and bruises and cuts.
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