belt VOLKSWAGEN ID.3 2020 Owner´s Manual

Th e p hysic a l p rin cip le s in vo lv e d in a f ro n ta l c o llis io n a re r e la tiv e ly s im ple . A s s o on a s t h e v e h ic le
is in m otio n , b oth t h e m ovin g v e h ic le a n d it s o cc u p an ts g ain “ k in etic e n erg y” →  Fig . 1.
T h e h ig her t h e v e h ic le s p eed a n d t h e h eavie r t h e w eig ht o f t h e v e h ic le , t h e g re ate r t h e a m oun t
of e n erg y t h at w il l b e r e le ase d in t h e e ve n t o f a n a cc id en t.
F ro nt al c o llis io ns a nd t he l a w s o f p hysic s
Fig . 1 U nbelt e d o cc u p an ts in a v e h ic le h ead in g f o r a b ric k w all.
F ig . 2 U nbelt e d o cc u p an ts in a v e h ic le h ead in g f o r a b ric k w all.

Wha t ha ppens t o v e hi cle o cc u p ant s w ho ha ve n ot f a ste n ed
the ir s e at b elt s
Fig . 1 A n u n belt e d d riv e r is t h ro w n f o rw ard s.

Man y p eo p le b elie ve t h at t h ey c a n b ra ce t h eir w eig ht w it h t h eir h an ds in a m in or c o llis io n . T h is is
n ot t ru e.
E ve n a t l o w s p eed s, t h e f o rc e s a ctin g o n t h e b od y in a c o llis io n a re s o g re at t h at it is n ot p ossib le
t o b ra ce o n ese lf w it h a rm s a n d h an ds. I n a f ro n ta l c o llis io n , v e h ic le o cc u p an ts w ho h ave n ot
fa ste n ed t h eir s e at b elt s w il l b e t h ro w n f o rw ard a n d w il l m ake u n ch ecke d c o n ta ct w it h p art s o f
th e v e h ic le in te rio r, e .g . t h e s te erin g w heel, d ash p an el, o r w in dsc re en →  Fig . 1.
T h e a ir b ag s y ste m is n ot a s u b stit u te f o r t h e s e at b elt s . W hen t rig gere d , t h e a ir b ag s o n ly p ro vid e
ad dit io n al p ro te ctio n . A ir b ag s a re n ot t rig gere d in a ll k in ds o f a cc id en ts . E ve n if t h e v e h ic le is
e q uip ped w it h a n a ir b ag s y ste m , a ll v e h ic le o cc u p an ts , in clu d in g t h e d riv e r, m ust f a ste n t h eir
s e at b elt a n d w ear it c o rre ctly w hil e t h e v e h ic le is in m otio n . T h is r e d uce s t h e r is k o f s e ve re o r
fa ta l in ju rie s in t h e e ve n t o f a n a cc id en t – r e g ard le ss o f w heth er a n a ir b ag is f it te d f o r t h e s e at.
E ach a ir b ag c a n o n ly b e t rig gere d o n ce . T o a ch ie ve b est p ossib le p ro te ctio n , s e at b elt s m ust
a lw ays b e w orn p ro p erly . T h is a ls o e n su re s t h at p ro te ctio n is p ro vid ed in a cc id en ts in w hic h t h e
air b ag is n ot t rig gere d . A ny v e h ic le o cc u p an ts n ot w earin g a s e at b elt c a n b e t h ro w n o ut o f t h e
ve h ic le a n d s u sta in m ore s e ve re o r e ve n f a ta l in ju rie s a s a r e su lt .
It is a ls o im port a n t f o r t h e r e ar s e at o cc u p an ts t o w ear s e at b elt s p ro p erly , a s t h ey c o uld
o th erw is e b e t h ro w n f o rw ard s v io le n tly in a n a cc id en t. R ear p ass e n gers w ho a re n ot w earin g
se at b elt s e n dan ger n ot o n ly t h em se lv e s a n d t h e d riv e r, b ut a ls o o th er p eo p le in t h e v e h ic le
→  Fig . 2.
F ig . 2 T h e u n belt e d r e ar p asse n ger is t h ro w n f o rw ard s, h it tin g t h e b elt e d d riv e r.