What Parents Should Know About Seat Belt Entanglement

Seat belts guarantee safety for all drivers and passengers. However, in some cases, they can cause grave injuries and worse, the death of younger kids due to entanglement. This is why parents and babysitters must be highly cautious in watching their little ones and maintaining their vehicles safe and hazard-free. Wiser parents and car owners won't let a single defect pass and immediately call for dual-stage seat belt repair services to eliminate safety hazards and avoid potential accidents.

Driving kids in your car ride entails sharp vigilance and utmost supervision from adults to avoid every potential safety risk there is inside a moving vehicle. If they are unattended for a long period in the backseat, anything could happen, and no parent would want to see their children harmed in any way, especially by something as innocuous as their seat belts.

So, in this article, you will learn how seat belt accidents can affect children and how they can be avoided. Ready your mind and read on.

How Do Children Get Entangled in a Seat Belt?

Kids are packed with energy, and car rides are one of their nemeses. They may find a 20-minute ride to school boring and play with anything they see to ease their dreariness. The worst-case scenario: they would fiddle with the seat belt and wrap their neck or torso with it. Here, the mechanics of the standard seat belt plays a major role in saving them.

Usually, when seat belts are pulled all the way out from the retractor, the seat belt will lock automatically. This is a locking mechanism used for car seat installations that may cause harm to children when they activate the feature and are unable to free themselves. Even if they try to wrestle with the belt, it will just tighten and potentially constrict them.

One misconception parents usually have is that it is safe for infants to sleep in a car seat. But there are instances where they slouch into the harness, and their breath is cut off in their sleep. Babies do not have the strength to pull themselves up to catch a breath, and this will go unnoticed until it is too late. So, it is important to position the child properly in their harness by making sure they have room for breathing.

When this happens, do not wrangle with the seatbelt in a panic. Instead, assess the child's position. There are instances where changing their position can loosen the belt and free them. However, if the seat belt is wrapped around their neck or chest, it is best to cut the belt with scissors, a knife, or a seat belt cutter.

How Do You Ensure Child Safety Inside a Vehicle?

To avoid seat belt accidents, here are some things parents can do:

• Don't leave children inside the car unsupervised
• Educate children about the function of seat belts and their potential hazards
• Ensure that unused seat belts are buckled and locked. This can be done by pulling the seat belt and then laying it flat on the seat
• Always keep a knife, scissors, or a seat belt cutter in the car, within easy reach

Conclusion

Car accidents also happen inside the vehicle. And to ensure children's safety while traveling, it is vital to learn about the hazards and invest in proper safety mechanisms because a wonderful journey is always a safe one.

Are you struggling to figure out how to fix a seat belt retractor? Repair My SRS is here to save the day. We are an accident restoration company specializing in resetting SRS airbag modules and seat belt repairs on retractors, tensioners, and buckles. Contact us today for your vehicle restoration needs. Questions? Call 855-552-7233 M-F 9-8 EST or text us 413-454-5570.