Volkswagen Polo Owners Manual: Seat belt protection
Fig. 49 Driver restrained by a properly positioned seat belt during a sudden braking manoeuvre
First read and observe the introductory information
and safety warnings
Correctly fastened seat belts can make a major difference. When fastened properly, seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting positions and considerably reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an accident. Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could lead to severe injuries. In addition, wearing seat belts properly reduces the risk of being thrown from the vehicle .
Passengers wearing seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability of the belts to reduce the kinetic energy. The front crumple zones and other passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to reduce kinetic energy. The amount of energy generated will thus decrease, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
The examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts substantially reduce the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. This is why seat belts must be fastened before every trip – even if you are only planning to drive a very short distance. Ensure that all passengers also wear their seat belts properly.
Accident statistics have shown properly worn seat belts to be an effective means of substantially reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a serious accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection provided by airbags in the event of an accident. This is why wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.
Although the vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be fastened and worn. For example, the front airbags will only be triggered in certain types of frontal collision. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, rolls or accidents in which the airbag trigger threshold in the control unit is not exceeded.
Therefore, always wear your seat belt and ensure that your passengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off.
What happens to vehicle occupants who have not fastened their seat belts
Fig. 47 An unbelted driver is thrown forwards
Fig. 48 The unbelted rear passenger is
thrown forwards, hitting the belted driver
First read and observe the introductory information
and safety ...
Using seat belts
First read and observe the introductory information
and safety warnings ...
Other materials:
Handling wheels and tyres
Fig. 145 Diagram showing how to swap wheels
First read and observe the introductory information
and safety warningsThe tyres are the most used and most underestimated parts
of a vehicle. Tyres are very important as the narrow tyre surfaces are the only
contact between the vehicle and the ro ...
Checklist
Observe the following information both before and during every journey
to ensure your own safety, and the safety of all passengers and other road users
:
Check that all lights and turn signals are
working properly.
Check the tyre pressure Wheels and tyres
Wheels and tyres Tyres ...
Maximum permitted gross combination weight
First read and observe the introductory information
and safety warnings
All data in the official vehicle documents take precedence over these data. All
data in this manual apply to the basic model. The vehicle data sticker in the service
schedule and the official vehicle documents show which ...