snowbird25ca
Moderator - CPST Instructor
I went looking for more pictures because I was curious after another post, and I came across an article:
Seat Belt Installation: What You Need to Know
Follow The Instructions, Maintain Your Equipment, And You’ll Be Ahead Of The Game
By Mark Whitney
photographer: Mark Whitney
This article is interesting for a few reasons, but I found the specific talk of angle of the shoulder straps in relation to the shoulders, as well as what the actual purpose of the crotch strap in a racing harness is, to be quite interesting. And the replacement of the belts every 2yrs due to degradation is also a very interesting factor... Obviously racecar harnesses undergo much more stress on a regular basis, and it sounds like they use a different type of webbing, but it does add even more reason to not use a carseat past it's expiry, and to replace seatbelts after a collision.
I had read another post awhile back talking about how racecar drivers have the harness below their shoulders a little bit and that it's not until you reach a certain number of degrees below the shoulders that the risk of spinal compression develops. The topic had been in relation to the radian allowing continued use of it after a child is over the top slots...
Here's an excerpt of the article
Anyways, thought you guys might find this all interesting.
And this little bit gets a great big thumbsup from me:
Seat Belt Installation: What You Need to Know
Follow The Instructions, Maintain Your Equipment, And You’ll Be Ahead Of The Game
By Mark Whitney
photographer: Mark Whitney
This article is interesting for a few reasons, but I found the specific talk of angle of the shoulder straps in relation to the shoulders, as well as what the actual purpose of the crotch strap in a racing harness is, to be quite interesting. And the replacement of the belts every 2yrs due to degradation is also a very interesting factor... Obviously racecar harnesses undergo much more stress on a regular basis, and it sounds like they use a different type of webbing, but it does add even more reason to not use a carseat past it's expiry, and to replace seatbelts after a collision.
I had read another post awhile back talking about how racecar drivers have the harness below their shoulders a little bit and that it's not until you reach a certain number of degrees below the shoulders that the risk of spinal compression develops. The topic had been in relation to the radian allowing continued use of it after a child is over the top slots...
Here's an excerpt of the article
The end attachments of the shoulder harness must also be installed at appropriate angles. The ideal position is anywhere between five degrees below and 30 degrees above the driver’s shoulder.
If the upper attachment point falls significantly below the driver’s shoulder, then a spinal compression injury is likely to occur. In an accident, the shoulder belts pull down and back on the torso as they resist the forward motion of the driver. The resultant restraint force compresses the spinal column and will add to the stresses in the spine already caused by the force of the crash impact.
In the opposite situation, if the trailing ends of the harness are too far above the shoulder (greater than 30 degrees), then two problems can occur. First, tension in the shoulder harness is increased and undue stress is applied to the harness and its structural attachments. Second, excessive angle will cause excessive motion. If the harness belts are too far above the shoulder, they will provide little resistance to forward motion of the driver’s upper torso. The result is an impact with the steering wheel and the possibility of neck injury. The shoulder straps should also be three to six inches apart behind the driver’s neck to prevent slippage off the shoulders.
Anyways, thought you guys might find this all interesting.
And this little bit gets a great big thumbsup from me:
The reliability of a restraint system is greatly affected by the way it is installed. It is imperative to follow the installation instructions provided by the seat-belt manufacturer.