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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.

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 \ \  / /          From the brightly colored, ever opening 'chute
   \  /                                of
   NOID                            Ray Tackett