Because the passengers of this vehicle are not us ing safety belts
=> page 176, fig. 16 3, they will keep moving at the same speed the
vehicle was mov ing just before the crash, until someth ing stops them
- here, the wall => page
176, fig. 164.
The same principles app ly to people sitting in a veh icle that is
involved in a frontal collis ion. Even at city speeds of 20 to 30 mph (30
to SO km/h), the forces act ing on the body can rea ch one ton (2,000
lbs. or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater speeds, these forces are even
higher .
People who do not use safety be lts are also not attached to their
vehicle. In a frontal collision they will also keep moving forward at
the speed their vehicle was t ravelling ju st before the crash . Of course,
the laws of physics don't just apply to frontal collisions, they deter-
mine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions. •
What happens to occupants not wearing
safety belts?
In crashes unbelted occupants cannot stop themselves
from flying forward and being injured or killed. Always
wear your safety belts!
Safety first
Fig. 165 A driver not
wearing a safety belt is
violently thrown
forward
Vehicle OP-eration
Safety belts
Fig. 16 6 A rear
passenger not wearing
a safety belt will fly
forward and strike the
driver
Unbelted occupants are not able to resist the tremendous forces of
impact by holding tight or bracing themselves. Without the benefit
of safety restraint systems, the unrestra ined occupa nt will s lam
violently into the steering wheel, instrument pane l, winds hield, or
whateve r else is in the way=> fig. 165. This impact with the veh icle
interior has all the energy they had just before the crash.
Never re ly on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy,
airbags prov ide only additional protection. Airbags are not supposed
to dep loy in all kinds of accidents. Although your Audi is equipped
with airbags, all veh icle occupants, including the driver, must wear
safety belts correctly in order to minimize the risk of severe injury or
death in a crash .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only once and that your
safety be lts are always there to offer protection in those accide nts in
which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already
deployed. Unbelted occup an t s can also be thrown out of the veh icle
where even more severe or fatal injur ies can occur .
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear safety belts
correctly. Unbe lted passengers in the rear seats endanger not on ly
themse lves but a lso the driver and other passengers => fig . 166. In a
frontal collision t hey will be thrown forward violen t ly, where they can
hit and injure the driver and/or front seat passenger. •
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
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