Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site wivax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!wivax!tackett From: tackett@wivax.UUCP (Raymond Tackett) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: Seatbelt discussion -- new twist Message-ID: <19147@wivax.UUCP> Date: Tue, 31-Jan-84 11:54:46 EST Article-I.D.: wivax.19147 Posted: Tue Jan 31 11:54:46 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 2-Feb-84 00:55:37 EST References: <93@whuxj.UUCP> Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma. 01879 Lines: 43 I know several New Hampshire State Policemen who claim they have never unbuckled a seat belt from a corpse. My experience with seatbelts includes several years of racing and about 1.2 million miles over the road. In general, I have found it is better to bash through trees, poles, etc. from inside a metal box (the car) than to try it with your own body. Getting thrown out exposes you to one additional hazard -- your car. It can catch up with you once you are outside. People who are trapped in cars are generally held in by a combination of the dash and the seat. Sometimes, the engine and the roof also help retain the driver. Seat belt releases work just fine underwater and in burning cars, provided you are conscious. If you are not conscious, you cannot get out without assistance, belted or not. Some people have a strange compulsion to get accident victims out of cars immediately. Unless the car is on fire, there is usually no hurry. Broken bones won't get any more broken sitting there. Severe bleeding can usually be controlled in place. Mouth to mouth breathing can be done from almost any position. An accident victim in a car is, in effect, wearing a crude suit of armor which will provide some protection from further impact. I witnessed an accident some years ago which illustrated another reason for wearing a seat belt. A woman was preparing to leave a parking lot by turning right. She was waiting for traffic to clear with her wheels cut right. The throttle spring broke, and the car took off as quickly as possible. With the wheels cut right, the driver was thrown left. Her elbow opened the door and out she went -- almost. She was hanging out the door with her right hand on the left side of the steering wheel. Fortunately, the car hit a tree right away before she was dragged very far or the door hit something. Had she been wearing a seat belt, she would have remained behind the wheel, open door or not. Besides being better protected, she would have had a chance to regain control of the car. Enough. I don't often type "y" for articles this long. /////\\\\\ \ \ / / From the brightly colored, ever opening 'chute \ / of NOID Ray Tackett