Before you understand the purpose of this important part, you should indeed know what it really is. A seat belt pretensioner simply refers to a device designed to hold passengers firmly in their position at the start of (just before) a collision/accident. It then allows the passenger to get back into comfortable position after the collision. A seat belt pretensioner is designed to keep passengers firm on their seats and in a position where they can receive maximum benefits of their inflated airbags.
1. What is the purpose of a seat belt pretensioner
According to statistics, people living in America have 1 in 84 chances of
dying in a car accident. While this is quite far from the one in five
situation presented by heart disease (the number one killer), it definitely
poses some concerns considering car accidents are unforeseen and
unpreventable. What’s remarkable though is that you can reduce the
chances of dying in a car accident by up to half just by the simple act of
wearing your seat belt. This is why it is highly advisable to put on your
seat belt as soon as you enter the car to avoid forgetting this life-saving
act. But how does the seat belt help cut your chances of dying by half? It
is through the seatbelt pretensioner.
What is a seatbelt pretensioner?
Before you understand the purpose of this important part, you should
indeed know what it really is. A seat belt pretensioner simply refers to a
device designed to hold passengers firmly in their position at the start of
(just before) a collision/accident. It then allows the passenger to get back
into comfortable position after the collision.
How does it work?
A seat belt pretensioner is designed to keep passengers firm on their seats
and in a position where they can receive maximum benefits of their
inflated airbags. The mechanism used is quite simple yet technical. It uses
2. an explosive charge that drives concealed pistons. This system is only
activated once the sensors detect a signature sudden speed deceleration
typical of a collision or accident. The piston immediately and rapidly
drives a spool (where the fabric strap seat belt is wrapped around) to
cause a fast retraction that instantly removes slack from the belt. The
pre-tension happens prior to the full impact force thus pulling the
passenger’s body firmly into the seat. This prevents the passenger from
jerking off their seats when the crash produces a huge momentum. It also
prevents passengers from submarining (a phenomenon where the
passenger is sent careening under the dashboard when the momentum
jerks them under the seat belt.
Purpose and benefits
You should hope to never see your seat belt pre-tensioner at work. If used,
it only means your car bumped hard head on into something else. So what
is the purpose of the pretensioner? It reduces you chances of dying in a
fatal car accident by half and keeps you in the safest position possible
where the airbags can have optimal effect. This device is not only meant
for cars and trucks but was in fact formerly designed for aircraft pilots
back in the 50s. It ideally strapped pilots and passengers firmly onto their
ejection seats before they took off the plane. The primary role of
pre-tensioners has since been to keep you firmly in position and protect
3. you from the impacts of inertia caused when velocity abruptly drops
towards zero.
Conclusion
A seatbelt pretensioner is the most important safety device in any car or
truck. It is a legal requirement to have this device effectively installed in
your automotive and keep the belt on when driving. Most cars have a
reminder light or sound whenever you ignore or forget the seat belt. It
protects you from car accident injuries. Even small-scale accidents can
cause grievous injuries if you do not wear the seat belt.
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