Page 31 - Risk Management Bulletin January-June 2023

RMAI BULLETIN JANUARY - JUNE 2023

THE EVOLUTION OF THE SEAT BELT, AND

WHY IT IS LITERALLY A MATTER OF LIFE

AND DEATH

S eat belts came into existence in the late 1800s. travelling at 100 km/ hr, a rear seat passenger weighing

Invented by George Cayley, an English aviation
about 80 kg and not secured with the help of a seat
innovator, the original purpose behind their
belt, is hurtled at an enormous force of 30,864 Joules
creation was to ensure that pilots were kept
inside their gliders. in the event of a road crash. Needless to say, such
tremendous speed is capable of causing severe injuries
to both the said passenger and others, both within the
It was not until February 10, 1885 that the first patented vehicle and outside.
seat belt came into existence. Created by Edward J
Claghorn, it was meant to keep tourists safe in New In the event that back seat passengers fail to secure
York City taxis. Ever since, seat belts have gradually themselves with seat belts, there are three ways in
made their way into our daily lives and have rightfully which they are prone to injuries.
become our first line of defence while on the move on
roads across the world. Y The first includes the situation where their bodies
come in contact with the interior of the vehicle.
This, though, was the rudimentary phase of the genesis Such an occurrence takes place in high impact
of seat belts. crashes during which the collision between a
passenger’s body and the vehicle’s interior happen
The 3-point seat belt at speeds capable of severe repercussions.
The seat belt as we know it now came into existence in Y The second manner is wherein unfastened
1959 after Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin invented the passengers collide with fellow passengers causing
V-type three-point seat belt at the behest of Volvo. Up severe bodily harm to all parties.
until then, seat belts were two-point lap belts — as we
Y The third way in which unfastened rear seat
now see in aeroplanes. This elementary design helped
strap drivers and passengers with a buckle that was passengers are prone to injury or death is by their
fastened over the abdomen. In comparison, the ejection through the windscreen and windows of
the vehicle. During various forensic crash
innovative three-point seat belt provides much better
protection to drivers and passengers in the event of a investigations undertaken by SaveLIFE Foundation,
bodies have been found at a significant distance
road crash. By virtue of its design, this seat belt, which
helps secure both the upper and lower parts of the body away from the crashed vehicles they were
in a much more firm manner, has helped save millions travelling in.
of lives globally over the years.
Required by the law
How seat belts protect Road crashes entail two primary components: cause of
This fact is corroborated by simple science. In a vehicle crash and cause of injury. The former deals with matters

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