How To Safely Reset Seat Belts After Accident

Seat belts have sensors that tell the airbags when to deploy. They work by sensing how much tension is on them, and if there’s too much slack in the belt, it can mean the driver or passenger could be at risk of not being tightly secured. It is essential to reset seat belts after an accident to ensure they work properly. If you know your car has been in a collision, it is vital for safety reasons for you and any other passengers to check that all seatbelts are securely fastened as soon as possible following the accident. Taking a few minutes after an accident can help prevent severe injuries in a sudden collision with another vehicle, pedestrian, or object. This article will go over the steps on how to safely reset seat belts after accident.

CALL FOR HELP

In most situations is advisable to stay in the car after an accident. While doing so might be uncomfortable, it is better than being injured by open doors or windows. You may be able to get help by using a cell phone or other means of communication, but if there is another person injured in the accident, you should stay with them until help arrives.

UNFASTEN THE LATCH

Pull up on the latch to disengage the seat belt, keep your hand straight and then pull it away from the slide lock or button. Once it is out of its locked position, you can take hold of both seat belt ends and pull out gently to disengage their hooks. When you have pulled them out, you should drop them to one side at a time, so they do not get tangled up with other parts when they fall. All four elements must be slid up to disengage from the rest of the seat belt system.

UNLOCK AND SET THE RELEASE POINT

Take hold of either end of the seat belt with both hands and pull down. Unfasten the latch by grabbing both ends and lifting it, this will disengage the seat belt system. Take note of which direction it is secured, as you may need to have your right hand on the latch while your left hand is reaching for the release button – or vice versa. The belt should then retract into its loops. If not, slide it out manually or release it from its locking points using a small flat-head screwdriver to loosen it.

CHECK THE BELT

Once you have released it, you will be able to see whether or not the belt is secure and is fully retracted. If not, use your fingers to check for any slack left in the belt that might be causing that problem and correct it as necessary. Depending on how much slack is left in the belt and what your car model has available, there are different ways to check. If you cannot check it manually, you can release it from its locking points to test for any excessive slack. Another thing you can do is lift on the latch again where it was before and pull down on both ends of the seat belt to see how far out they are from each other.

If your belt was locked into a single position (as opposed to being able to move freely around the buckle) when you got into the car, you will need to pull on both sides of the belt while pulling on either side of its attachment point with your fingers. The belt should then be able to slide freely through the buckle, and you can proceed to the next step.

CHECK FOR EXCESS SLACK

If you cannot check it using the latch and have determined that there is still some slack in the seat belt, use your fingers to pull the belt apart by grasping both ends tightly. They should not come apart too far, if they do, it is evidence that there is a problem with the belt or its assembly. If they do separate, you can use your flat-head screwdriver to punch a small hole where the clasp was and take hold of the buckle while pulling it out with your fingers. Pulling on the seat belt can damage your shoes or skin if you are not careful so take extra precautions to avoid injury.

TRY WITH ANOTHER SEAT BELT

If the problem persists and the seat belt will not retract and is causing a trip hazard, you can use your fingers to pull it away from the latch while simultaneously lifting on the latch where it was. If that happens, use your flat-head screwdriver again to punch another hole and pull out the buckle until you have checked for excess slack. Keep an eye on it as you do this to ensure that it does not separate farther than what is necessary.

RELEASE FROM THE SELF-LOCKING POINT

Some cars have a self-locking point in the seat belt where it can be pulled out of its locking points by hand. You can follow the same steps above to release the buckle and then pull it away from its locking point by hand. You should not see any excessive slack in the belt at this stage.

REMOVE THE BUCKLE

Release the seat belt from its locking points and slide the whole assembly out of its loops. If it was pulled too far back in, you would have to manually pull it back through the loops. After that, you can pull out on both ends and allow it to retract back into its position until you are safe enough distance away to stop any further use of it. Done correctly and with caution, this is a process capable of being performed with no damage to either yourself or your car’s seat belts. You should remember that you often want to check your seat belt system to ensure it is secure and working correctly, especially when driving.

Although people might never forget the accident they were involved in, they must respond adequately when the time comes for them to do so. That is especially true for people involved in accidents with seat belts on. Understanding how these systems work and taking the proper steps for their safe use can make all the difference in a life-threatening emergency situation when seconds count.