SEAT BELTS SAFE WHILE PREGNANT?

It is much safer to wear the seat belt than not. A seat belt is your first line of defence during a crash and helps you remain in your seat during a collision. It is much more dangerous for anyone (including the other occupants) for you to be unrestrained. During a crash, a person not wearing a seat belt can become a large projectile within the car or get thrown out of the car. The potential for life-threatening injuries goes up by five to 25 times when you are thrown out.

According to an article from British carmaker Yasa, “research shows that unbelted pregnant women are three times more likely to lose their baby in a crash, and two times as likely to have excessive maternal bleeding” than those who buckle up. Increase your safety in the car by opting to be the passenger, not the driver, as often as it possible, to reduce the chances of having the steering wheel as a point of contact. As a passenger, you can push your seat back fully to reduce airbag contact.

Source: lamaze.org May newsletter