Wearing a seat-belt properly is extremely important for pregnant drivers
One of the leading causes of death to unborn children is the death of pregnant women in automobile crashes, according to Edmunds.com.
Researchers estimate the number of deaths in the U.S. is approximately 400 each year.
That said, there isn’t definitive data, and the number of deaths could be even higher. Federal car crash databases don't regularly mention whether drivers or occupants involved in crashes were pregnant, and death certificates of fetuses don't always cite whether the mother-to-be was in a car crash.
Some studies show that seatbelts and airbags can pose risks to a fetus, but only if the seatbelt is worn incorrectly or the pregnant driver is positioned too close to the steering wheel when the airbag deploys.
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women wear a three-point safety belt and not disconnect the air bag.
If the seatbelt is worn incorrectly, the steering wheel or dashboard may injure a pregnant woman. If the pregnant woman sits too close to the airbag, it will hit with too much force, when it deploys in an accident.
To reduce these risks, pregnant women should do the following:
For pregnant passengers sitting in the front seat:
• Move the front seat as far back as possible.
• On a three-point safety belt, always position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible. The shoulder belt should be routed over the sternum.
• Leave the air bag operational.
For pregnant drivers:
• On a three-point safety belt, always position the lap belt portion as low on the abdomen as possible. The shoulder belt should be routed over the sternum.
• Leave the air bag operational.
• Drive a vehicle that allows the most clearance between the steering wheel and abdomen.
• Remove or adjust coats to make sure they do not interfere with low placement of the lap belt.
• Minimize driving in hazardous conditions, such as in bad weather or on icy roads.
• Position the steering wheel to maximize abdomen-to-wheel clearance, while aiming it more toward the chest than the head.
• When possible, ride as a passenger rather than drive to avoid potential contact with the steering wheel.
Car manufacturers have been making it easier for everyone to wear belts properly. Since the 1998 model year, cars with upper seatbelts that come out of the B-pillar (on the side of the car) are also required to have adjustable anchors. This helps everyone, from the tallest to the shortest — to the most pregnant — driver and passenger to keep belts from cutting into their necks or riding across their chests.
Current car designs facilitate comfortable positioning of the steering wheel, enabling even pregnant women to adjust the steering wheel in a way that keeps them from sitting too close to the air bag.
Adjustable steering wheels, particularly ones that telescope in and out, can be especially helpful for drivers of varying sizes — and stages of pregnancy. Even lower-end models often have manual devices that can help point the center of the steering wheel away from the abdomen and toward the chest.
Adjustable pedals, now available in many models, can help shorter pregnant women drive more easily without sitting too close to the airbag.
For more information on this subject, visit:
http://www.familycar.com/articles/laurenfix/drivingwhilepregnent.htm
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1589_1711_4587-49794--,00....
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/womenfamilies/articles/122967/article...
http://pregnantdriver.lboro.ac.uk/
To see if Texas uses primary or secondary enforcement to enforce its seat belt laws, visit:
http://www.iihs.org/laws/SafetyBeltUse.aspx
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