Seat belt extenders are used because not everyone can fit in to the normal seat belt size.
Wearing a seat belt is mandatory for safety issues. The seat belt legislation says that a seat belt is required to fit an adult man who weighs up to 215 pounds and who has a seated hip circumference of 47.2 inches and a 42.5 inches waist circumference. This is the standard seat belt requirement but what about overweight people? The seat belt extender is the answer to their seat belt dilemma. Many car manufacturers nowadays are actually catering to the needs of the plus size people because researches have shown that the number of obese people in the US alone is actually on the rise.
A seat belt extender is typically about 8 inches in length, it snaps into the existing seat belt which provides the passenger with a longer belt and a better fit. Are seat belt extenders standard in size? No, seat belt extenders are not universally fitting so the responsible citizen who cares for his or her safety needs to get a seat belt extender that suits his or her particular need. You can call your local car dealer’s service department to help you out in getting the right seat belt extender for your car. Just remember though that some dealers may charge an extra fee for seat belt extenders although some dealers may provide them for you for free. You can also purchase seat belt extenders from online retail stores or shop at local automotive accessories stores.
Are they really so important? Absolutely! After all, you don’t want to be one of those people you hear in the news who did not survive a vehicular accident because they did not wear their safety belt. Research has shown that it is the overweight individuals who have a higher tendency to take for granted wearing seat belts compared to the average size adults. This is because the standard seat belts can be quite restrictive and uncomfortable to wear. Here’s a great reason to buy a seat belt extender: they are easy to install and they’re quite affordable too.
Expecting women can also benefit from wearing a seat belt extender especially those whose baby bumps have grown quite big already. Seat belt extenders can also be beneficial when you’re travelling with young kids as they help secure child safety seats in place.
Remember the saying safety first? Always keep that in mind by taking every safety precaution when you’re driving. No one can predict when you’ll get in an accident so always keep safe. Even the most careful drivers can get in an accident because you don’t have control over the other vehicles out travelling in the road. And since wearing seat belts is a law, you can get a ticket when caught without one and who wants that? Safety, multiple functionality and salvation from being ticketed – these are three other great reasons to buy a seat belt extender for your car.