How many types of seatbelts exist and how do they work?

The seatbelt is one of the most important devices in vehicles, since it is not only responsible for the passengers suffering the least number of injuries possible in case of accident, but, in many cases, is responsible for that they come to save life.

For this reason, we speak of a mandatory device in all cars, regardless of the seat that is occupied (whether it is the front or the rear). However, when talking about safety belts, we must bear in mind that not all are the same; In fact, you can find a wide variety of belts that, depending on their characteristics, will adapt better or worse to each person and situation. If you want to know how many types of seat belts there are and how they work, read on. Take note!

Use of the safety belt

As we have mentioned in the introduction, the safety belt is a device that allows to protect the passenger in case of a car accident. It is essential to take into account that, in the event of a collision, the moving vehicle causes passengers to be displaced from the seat in the forward direction.

This impact entails a great danger, since passengers can be thrown out of the windscreen or hit the front seats when they are sitting behind. These impacts usually entail, in the best of cases, serious injuries. For this reason, when we have a seatbelt, we greatly reduce the risk of injury and death in the event of an accident at the wheel.

Seat belts by points

Among the types of safety belts that can be found today, most of them are cataloged according to the mooring points they have. That is, the fastening points that secure the passenger in the seat in which he is. They are the following:

Two-point belt : this is the safety belt that is usually found on airplanes or on some buses. It is characterized by fastening on both sides of the hip. This makes it not the safest of all, since it can cause separation of the lumbar spine in some accidents.
Belt of three points : this belt was invented by Volvo in 1959 and is considered one of the safest belts even today. This belt starts from the two anchoring points mentioned above but, in addition, includes a third attachment point above one of the shoulders of the passenger. In this way, the risk of separation of the lumbar spine is avoided.
Four-point belt : this type of safety belt constitutes a harness in itself. It combines the lateral attachments of the hips with different attachments on the shoulders.
Five-point belt : They are the same as four-point belts but, in this case, an additional point of support between the legs is added, which increases the security by being considerably more restrictive. They are used mainly in children's seats and in competition vehicles.

Other types of safety belts

In addition to the safety belts called points, there are other similar types. The most common are the following:

Belt in X : it is a safety belt that is often used as a complement to the usual three-point belt in cars. The belt in X is composed of two anchors that are placed diagonally on the passenger, which creates the final appearance of the letter X, from which it receives the name.
Automatic belts : they are currently in disuse, since they presented problems in case of breakdown of the vehicle or if the door was not properly closed. While it is true that they had the advantage of requiring less collaboration from the passenger, they were not as effective as expected, which is why they ended up discarding them.
Ergonomic belts : this is a very broad type of belts, since, currently, it has more than 70 models on the market. This type of safety belts adapt to the passenger's physiognomy. The most common are those that, like a sash, hold the passenger around the abdominal perimeter.

Safety belts for dogs

If you have ever taken your pet by car, you will know that animals tend to move and be restless during the journey, since it is not a place where they feel especially comfortable. The safety belts for dogs are not only a great option for them to be quiet and not to disturb the driver, but it is also a fundamental tool to ensure their safety and prevent them from suffering serious injuries in the event of an accident.

If your dog is small: if your pet is small, you can travel inside a dog carrier without problems.
If your dog is large (10 kg or more): if your dog is too big to fit in a carrier, you should sit him in the back seats with a special double-anchoring harness that attaches to the safety belts of the dog. own car.