Before you buy a new car, check to see that its seat belts are a good fit for you.NEVER put the shoulder belt behind your back or under an arm.The lap belt rests across your hips, not your stomach.Place the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest and away from your neck.The lap belt and shoulder belt are secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body.Such force could injure or even kill you. If you don’t wear your seat belt, you could be thrown into a rapidly opening frontal air bag. Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle being completely ejected from a vehicle is almost always deadly.Ģ.

Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash Our team of experienced doctors is ready to help you on your road to healing.OF THOSE KILLED DURING THE NIGHTTIME IN 2021 WERE UNRESTRAINEDġ. Come visit our car accident clinic at Impact Medical Sun City Center for a medical examination ASAP. If you have been in a car accident and are suffering from the symptoms of seat belt syndrome, don’t wait. Remember, accident care doctors are trained to know whether your seat belt injury is a bruise or the signs of something more serious.įurther, to use your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits you must seek medical care within 14 days of an accident, or you will forfeit the compensation that you are entitled to. This is true even if you don’t have symptoms or do not think that you have suffered a serious injury. Seek Medical Treatment Immediatelyįollowing any kind of accident, it is important to seek emergency medical care. This delay in treatment can cause complications including organ failure and infection. If left untreated, the injuries from a seat belt could become life-threatening or cause permanent impairments or disability.īecause seat belt syndrome injuries may not manifest with visible symptoms for days after the accident, treatment is often delayed. And in some cases, invasive techniques such as laparotomy (abdominal surgery) may be required to diagnose the injuries that are associated with seat belt syndrome. It is important that you seek medical treatment and have a doctor perform a physical examination if you have any symptoms of abdominal injuries.ĬT scans and focused abdominal sonography in trauma (FAST) are usually required to diagnose trauma and damage to the internal organs. Seat belt syndrome can be very difficult to diagnose as symptoms may not manifest immediately following a car crash. Abdominal pain or pain between the ribs or hips.Changes in bowel movements or urination.Dizziness or weakness that could indicate damage to internal organs.Swelling or discoloration that does not disappear in a few days.Seat belt marks or bruising across the abdomen.Bruising and muscle strain around the abdominal region.If you observe the following symptoms following an accident, you should seek medical care as soon as possible and ask about tests to determine if you have seat belt syndrome. Unfortunately, until other symptoms manifest, it can be hard to detect injury to the internal organs of the abdomen. One of the first symptoms of seat belt syndrome may be bruising to the abdomen alongside abdominal pain. Injuries that might be associated with seat belt syndrome include injuries to the: Seat belt syndrome happens when the seat belt compresses the abdomen during a car accident-causing damage to the internal organs and abdominal wall. Our car accident care team at Impact Medical Sun City Center explains seat belt syndrome and what you should do if you have been injured by your seat belt during a car crash. But even so, there is evidence that indicates that seat belt use can cause serious injuries to the internal organs of the abdomen, which is known as seat belt syndrome. In many cases, wearing a seat belt while driving or riding in a vehicle is the best choice to reduce the risk of injury and death during an accident. How Can I Tell If I Have Seat Belt Syndrome?

Seat belt sign trauma