Seat belts are a mandatory form of safety restraint installed in every modern vehicle. In the event of a collision, seat belts help ensure that people remain in place in a vehicle, preventing potentially fatal injuries caused by ejection. The law requires that manufacturers add safety restraints to vehicles. Drivers and front-seat passengers, as well as all passengers under the age of 18, generally have an obligation to utilize safety restraints.
Seat belts can save lives, but they can also sometimes cause injuries. People with seat belt injuries may not notice them immediately and may eventually require emergency medical care because of the injuries caused by safety restraints. The three injuries listed below are arguably the worst injuries associated with the use of safety restraints.
Internal bleeding
Seat belts help keep people in place despite the incredible force generated during a motor vehicle collision. The force of impact may result in bruising and contusions where the seat belt contacts the body. In some cases, the seat belt could cause bleeding inside the chest or abdomen. Internal bleeding is dangerous in part because it can be difficult for people to notice initially. Blood loss can continue until it reaches a potentially deadly level, and accumulated blood can put pressure on nerves or organs. People may need emergency care to treat internal bleeding after a car crash.
Vertebral fractures
The placement of the individual and the force of impact can influence where the seat belt touches the body and how the person restrained by the seat belt moves during the collision. In some cases, seat belts can cause fractures to vertebrae. Such fractures can be painful and possibly also physically debilitating. The injured party may miss weeks of work and could require surgery and other medical interventions to recover.
Bowel damage
The intestines are soft and have very little protection in the event of a crash. If the seat belt pushes into the abdomen, it could cause damage to the bowels, including tearing or perforation. In such scenarios, people are at risk of a host of medical consequences, including dangerous levels of blood loss and septic shock caused by bowel contents and bacteria entering the abdominal cavity.
Individuals who sustain seat belt injuries and other major physical damage due to motor vehicle collisions may need help covering their expenses. A driver at fault for a crash may need to provide insurance coverage or direct compensation for the economic harm caused by that crash.
