How many people here have seat belts?

[blueskies]

...defied the laws of physics I guess. (I knew there was a reason I didn't like that subject when I was kid in school!)

I just don't like being tied into the car.

Surviving a car crash is all about physics, and perhaps a bit of luck.

The shorter the stopping distance, the greater the impact. When you are tied to the car, you body will stop with it. When you are not, the car stops in the distance that the front end crumples in the crash perhaps a couple of feet, but your body stops in the distance that it dents into the dash, maybe a few inches. This is precisely why modern cars are designed with crush zones.

If you read the link I posted above, you will see the math on a 30 mph crash and the forces on the human body. With a seatbelt, you sustain a force of 2.4 tons to your body on impact. Without a belt, you sustain a force of 12 tons in the same 30 mph crash. Now do the math at 60 mph...

I'm all for freedom of choice, but I can't understand why anyone would make the choice not to wear a seatbelt. Especially in a car that was not designed with any crush zones and has a solid mounted steering wheel column that will center punch your chest cavity with 24,000 pounds of force in a 30 mph impact.

Pete

[jd52cranbrook]

I have lap belts, want to change to the three point belts soon.

[Norm's Coupe]

If you read the link I posted above, you will see the math on a 30 mph crash and the forces on the human body. With a seatbelt, you sustain a force of 2.4 tons to your body on impact. Without a belt, you sustain a force of 12 tons in the same 30 mph crash. Now do the math at 60 mph...

Pete

Pete, don't need to do the math to see how much force I would have on me at 60 MPH, with or without a seatbelt. Even at 30 MPH with a seatbelt 2.4 tons is going to crush me anyway. Don't have to worry about what 12 tons will do. It will just crush me a little more. Don't know any of us that can take 2.4 tons on our bodies.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

It's compulsory to have belts here in New Zealand, at least from Jan 1st, 1955 on. Damn, my car was 5 months too late.

[Young Ed]

Norm the busses are designed with special seats to be safe. Not sure how a baby would do but kids are quite safe. If you add a belt to the bus you hit your face and end up with a broken neck.

[Fireball]

I have ordered and installed several sets of old style lap belts from Wesco. Plenty of colors, reasonable pricing etc. Recommended company.

http://wescoperformance.stores.yahoo.net/nonresebe.html

[Dennis_MN]

Back when I had a 1960 Volvo, I installed seat belts just to keep me in place while cornering. That was a fun car to drive. When I first got it I lived in Los Angeles and spent weekends up in the mountains. I would see how fast I could drive down CA38 and the seat belts sure help keep my but where it belonged.

I installed lap belts in my 49 Pilothouse for much the same reason, but I have no plans to see how fast this will take corners but I don't want to slide across the bench at the wrong time.

Dennis