vehicular safety devices

vehicular safety devices

      seat belts, harnesses, inflatable cushions, and other devices designed to protect occupants of vehicles from injury in case of accident. A seat belt is a strap that fastens a rider to a moving vehicle and prevents him from being thrown out or against the interior of the vehicle during sudden stops.

      The first patent for a restraining belt designed to protect passengers in road vehicles was granted to E.J. Claghorn in 1885. The first lap-type belt resembling the modern seat belt was a leather strap used on a United States Army airplane in 1910, and for the next 25 years seat belts were used primarily on aircraft. In the 1940s tests demonstrated that the severity of head injuries could be substantially reduced by holding the body in place with a seat belt, and some seat belts for automobiles were manufactured in the early 1950s. Common automobile restraint systems developed by the early 1970s were lap belts, anchored to the car underbody, to keep the rider from sliding forward; and shoulder harnesses, anchored to the car underbody and the roof rail, to keep the rider from jackknifing into the instrument panel. These fabric belts were provided with quick attach-and-release buckles and were able to withstand loads of 6,000 pounds (2,700 kilograms). Despite convincing evidence of the value of seat belts, however, motorists in all countries were apathetic, and only the passage of legislation caused seat belts to appear universally in automobiles. Even then, widespread failure by drivers and passengers to make use of the belts led to developmental work on passive-restraint systems.

      Passive-restraint devices protect drivers and passengers without any action on their part. Among those tested was the air bag, an inflatable pillow-like cushion stored in the instrument panel and triggered to inflate in a fraction of a second by the force of impact, cushioning and absorbing the energy of the rider and then deflating.

      Other important safety devices used on automobiles and other vehicles include safety glass, the newer types of which deflect without breaking under severe stress; improved door locks that keep doors closed under severe conditions; and collapsible steering columns that telescope under impact, absorbing energy.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Vehicular communication systems — are an emerging type of networks in which vehicles and roadside units are the communicating nodes; providing each other with information, such as safety warnings and traffic information. As a cooperative approach, vehicular communication systems… …   Wikipedia

  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — logo The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, pronounced nit suh ) is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as “Save lives, prevent injuries …   Wikipedia

  • Mobile phones and driving safety — A driver placing a call Mobile phone use while driving is common, but dangerous. Due to the number of accidents that are related to cell phone use while driving, some jurisdictions have made the use of a cell phone while driving illegal. Others… …   Wikipedia

  • Laser safety — A typical laser warning symbol. Laser safety is safe design, use and implementation of lasers to minimize the risk of laser accidents, especially those involving eye injuries. Since even relatively small amounts of laser light can lead to… …   Wikipedia

  • Road traffic safety — Sidewalks, curbs and traffic signals in Maryland, United States …   Wikipedia

  • automobile — automobilist /aw teuh meuh bee list, moh bi list/, n. /aw teuh meuh beel , aw teuh meuh beel , aw teuh moh beel, beuhl/, n. 1. a passenger vehicle designed for operation on ordinary roads and typically having four wheels and a gasoline or diesel… …   Universalium

  • automotive industry — Introduction       all those companies and activities involved in the manufacture of motor vehicles, including most components, such as engines and bodies, but excluding tires, batteries, and fuel. The industry s principal products are passenger… …   Universalium

  • Run-off area — A run off area is an area on a racetrack that exists for racer safety. Run off areas are usually located along a race course in places that are the most likely places for racers to unintentionally depart from the prescribed course due to a… …   Wikipedia

  • Elevator — For other uses, see Elevator (disambiguation). A set of lifts in the lower level of a London Underground station. The arrows indicate each elevator s position and direction of travel …   Wikipedia

  • Facial trauma — Classification and external resources 1865 photo of a private injured in the American Civil War by a shell two years previously ICD 10 S …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”