Whether it’s a quick trip down the road, your daily commute to work, or you’re heading out on a summer road trip, it’s important to always wear your seatbelt.
Seatbelts protect you in a crash or if the vehicle stops suddenly. Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of being killed or seriously injured in a road crash by about 40%.
You don’t know what can happen when you’re on the road. But we do know that buckling up only takes a few seconds but can be the difference between making it home to your family and friends or not.
When driving, the car and people inside have kinetic energy which is generated by the speed that you’re travelling at.
When a car comes to a stop, the kinetic energy must be transferred somewhere. In a gradual or sudden stop the energy is transferred to the brakes which causes the vehicle to slow down (decelerate) and stop.
Seatbelts are designed to help absorb the kinetic energy in a crash or sudden stop and prevent you from continuing to move forward. A seatbelt when worn properly will spread the stopping force across areas of your body that are strong enough to provide resistance such as your chest and pelvis.
Without a seatbelt, you will continue to travel forward at speed until you are stopped by something else. If you are in the front seat, you may hit the dashboard or be thrown through the windscreen and onto the road. If you’re in the back seat, you may hit the roof, front seats, or other passengers.
The force on the seatbelt can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you’d hit the inside of your vehicle without your seatbelt on.
Make sure you belt up for every drive.
Wearing a seatbelt incorrectly is dangerous and may be just as bad as not wearing one at all as it can lead to severe injuries or death. Make sure that:
Worn or damaged seatbelts can be dangerous and cause the belt to decrease strength or snap in a crash or sudden stop. Don’t wait for your next warrant of fitness inspection – get worn or damaged belts fixed as soon as you find any faults.
Common seatbelt problems include:
All modern cars in New Zealand must be fitted with seatbelts in the front and back seats.
It’s the law that if you sit in a seat fitted with a seatbelt, you must wear the seatbelt. If you're 15 years or over and drive or ride in a vehicle without wearing seatbelt you can be fined.
If you’re the driver of the vehicle you are responsible for ensuring all passengers under 15 years are wearing seatbelts or age-appropriate child restraints that are correctly fitted into their vehicles. You can be fined for a passenger aged under 15 riding in your car without wearing a seatbelt or child restraint.
Find detailed information on the requirements for using child restraints:
Child restraints
There are additional requirements for seatbelts in motorhomes:
Seatbelts in motorhomes
