Safety tips for the pregnant driver

Volvo cars' research on car safety for the unborn child and the mother says that if the to-be-mother uses her safety belt correctly, risk of injury to the fetus is considerably reduced. Foetal injury and loss of life is not well documented, but the risk is real. Accidents can happen any time, and pregnant women should take extra precautions whenever they drive.

pregnant woman with seatbelts

Volvo Cars used a virtual pregnant crash test dummy and used the model to simulate how a pregnant woman moves in a frontal crash and how the foetus moves inside her. Effects of safety belt on the woman and the fetus were studied closely. The tests were carried out at different speeds and environments. The same model can be employed to refine the design of belts.

Accidents involving an expecting mother can be fatal to the mother and the unborn child. Fatal injury to the foetus and immediately non-fatal injury that could turn fatal in the long run or cause birth defects in the newborn cannot be ruled out after an accident.

As the old proverb goes, precaution is better than cure. Fastening your seat belts is the easiest way to reduce the risk. Here are a few tips for fastening the seat belt correctly:

Adjust your seat so that you are in a position to drive comfortably while maintaining a maximum possible distance from the steering wheel.

Pull the lap belt over the thighs so that it runs flat under the belly.

The torso belt should go across the chest, between the breasts and to the side of the belly.

The study also found that pregnant women are better protected by an airbag in the steering wheel. Expecting mothers should wear their seat belts, and it is very important to wear them right. Its not just the pregnant women, everyone should fasten their seat belts and pregnant women should be extra careful about them. The best precaution though, would be to avoid driving.

[Image: aaa-calif]

[Source: Volvo, Ford]