BELT INJURIES

GURTVERLETZUNGEN

DURING THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 1977 TO AUGUST 1978, 52 BELTED CAR OCCUPANTS WERE EXAMINED FOR INJURIES AFTER HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, AND THE VEHICLES INVOLVED INVESTIGATED BY AN EXPERT. THE INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE ANALYSED WITH RESPECT TO THE EFFECT OF THE SAFETY BELT. THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WERE OBTAINED: (1) EXISTING SAFETY SYSTEMS MAY PREVENT INJURY SINCE EACH IMPACT HAS TO BE ABSORBED BY THE BODY; (2) PRESENT DAY (1978) AUTOMATIC THREE-POINT BELTS CLASP THE BODY WELL AND PREVENT SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE SKULL (ONLY ABOUT 2 PERCENT OF CASES) - SKULL/BRAIN INJURIES SUSTAINED BY UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE MUCH MORE FREQUENT; (3) IN 60 PERCENT OF THE CASES STUDIED SERIOUS INJURIES WERE PREVENTED BY THE BELTS; (4) THE NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH THE BELT POSSIBLY INCREASED THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE INJURY WAS ESTIMATED AT 3 PERCENT; IN ABOUT 35 PERCENT OF CASES IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE ACCURATELY WHETHER AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE BELT HAD CONTRIBUTED TO DECREASING THE INJURIES.