Put seatbelts in your classic cars!, And use them! Options

[VaccaRabite]

I have gone back and forth on if I should post this or not, but here I am. Not going to name anyone or post any pictures, but the driver is a 914 guy also and may or may not pipe in with more details.

This weekend a friend of mine got to watch his son get ejected from the classic car he was driving. The car was a 50's era car that had no seat belts. Never had them and isn't required to have them registered as an antique. He was hit by an in-attentive driver behind him on a residential road.

His son, somewhat miraculously, was fine except for a bit of road rash on his arm and lower back. My friend had done just about everything right. Had been restoring the car since August. This was its first trip. It was all on back roads - no highways or faster speeds. He left early and was driving in broad daylight while alert. He was struck only 15 minutes from the show he was going to. Damage to the car was minimal - it was still drivable and the majority of the damage was fixed at the show over the weekend. But the hit caused the car to spin (think a Pitt Maneuver) and his kid got ejected.

The guy that hit him was not watching the road - he was turned around and yelling at his kids while driving. Instead of chilling at the show, my bud and his kid got several hours of EMTs, an ambulance, and police reports as well as the usual call to insurance after a literal fender bender.

Our 914 all have belts stock. But many of us have other cars that may not. Find a set of belts and install them. Even if you drive gently, you have no control over the distracted driver in a heavier faster car that is headed your way. This particular story ended well, but I know I give my kids rides in my car - and I can't help think about what I would have done if it was my Theo or Josh getting thrown from the car.

According to NHTSA, 77% of the people that get thrown from a car during a wreck do not survive their injuries. Obviously the extreme caution my friend used in choosing a route that would keep speeds down at the expense of a much longer drive likely saved his sons life. He's adding seatbelts to the car.

PSA over. Stay safe out there!

Zach

[Tdskip]

Yikes.

Thanks for posting.

[Cairo94507]

Thank God your friend and his son are OK. Talk about your worst nightmare, seeing your son ejected from your car.

I have the stock belts in my '71 and on my list is to send them out this winter to have them rebuilt.

I really wanted to put in lap and shoulder belts with the large buckles, with the shoulder bar behind the seats toward the top, but can't bring myself to add that to the interior as it appears mostly stock.

But we always wear the belts in the car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Spoke]

A company I worked for had a few safety posters in the hallways. One showed the outline of a 3-point seatbelt un-buckled. The caption read:

You may only need your seatbelt once. But which once?

I always wear a seatbelt.

[mepstein]

I can't imagine not wearing a seatbelt.

The Jay Leno GT video made me cringe.

[rjames]

I can't imagine not wearing a seatbelt.

The Jay Leno GT video made me cringe.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[bbrock]

I'm glad everyone survived and there were only minor injuries, but I have to ask. What car gets hit hard enough to be spun, eject a passenger from car, and have only minor damage. A Sherman tank?

+1 on wearing seat belts. I'm a big fan.

[kerensky]

... I can't help think about what I would have done if it was my Theo or Josh getting thrown from the car.

If it was one of my children, the other guy would not survive *his* injuries.

[emerygt350]

I think leno had some belts on just not the straps around the umm midriff.

[VaccaRabite]

I'm glad everyone survived and there were only minor injuries, but I have to ask. What car gets hit hard enough to be spun, eject a passenger from car, and have only minor damage. A Sherman tank?

+1 on wearing seat belts. I'm a big fan.

Thats kind of my point. It does not take much of a spin to throw you out of a car if you are not buckled in. If the hit had been square to the back he would have gone into the windshield.

Zach

[mepstein]

Just like the need to wear a bike helmet. It doesn’t take much to cause injury.

[mb911]

That is one of the reason I did not mess with the stock seat belts. I just went with seatbelt planet and was done with it.

[914e]

That is one of the reason I did not mess with the stock seat belts. I just went with seatbelt planet and was done with it.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
Unless the car car only goes between the garage and the trailer. Get new belts or have them rebuilt.

[StarBear]

Just like the need to wear a bike helmet. It doesn’t take much to cause injury.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)
I suspect I need to replace the fabric portion of my original belts. Thanks for posting, Zach.

[infraredcalvin]

Same goes for harnesses, face in the dash isn’t too fun either…

https://youtu.be/5oO226PgSkg

[mepstein]

Same goes for harnesses, face in the dash isn’t too fun either…

https://youtu.be/5oO226PgSkg

Puts a harness in the car and then doesn't use it. After driving a lot of cars at the shop, I realized I never want a 5 point harness for the street. It's a pain to use (though not as much pain as hitting the dash with your face) and my understanding, it's really only for a car with a roll bar.

[Justinp71]

And make sure your seatbelt retractors work. Anything from the 80's or older seem to have 'iffy' seatbelts...

[ClayPerrine]

As a child growing up in the 60s and 70s, my father was adamant about us wearing seat belts. During those times there was no mandatory seat belt laws, and most adults didn't wear them. He was so adamant about seat belt usage he put them in all of his antique cars, including the 1927 Chevy touring car, and the 1931 Chevy sedan he owned.

As an adult, I am glad he did that. The habit of hooking the seat belt is so ingrained in me that I hook it even when backing the car out of the garage to wash it.

And that probably saved my life when I was hit in Betty's 914.

Use your seat belts. The life you save may be your own.


Clay

[vitamin914]

As a child growing up in the 60s and 70s, my father was adamant about us wearing seat belts. During those times there was no mandatory seat belt laws, and most adults didn't wear them. He was so adamant about seat belt usage he put them in all of his antique cars, including the 1927 Chevy touring car, and the 1931 Chevy sedan he owned.

As an adult, I am glad he did that. The habit of hooking the seat belt is so ingrained in me that I hook it even when backing the car out of the garage to wash it.

And that probably saved my life when I was hit in Betty's 914.

Use your seat belts. The life you save may be your own.


Clay

110% (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

In Ontario (Canada) the fine is up to $1000 and 2 demerit points for not wearing your seatbelt. Good incentive, but saving your own ass should be the primary reason.


LOL, like Clay, I do the same thing moving cars around in the driveway. Wearing the seatbelt becomes sooo automatic... left hand is inserting the buckle while the right hand is inserting the key...

Like Zach said, put 'em in and use 'em.

[mepstein]

Even more importantly than myself, I got it to be automatic for my kids.
I sometimes drive the high school kids at the boarding school where I work. Often they will not buckle up. Some of them are genuinely surprised when I tell them we can’t go until they do. Occasionally, one will have earbuds in and pretend they can’t hear me. We just sit until they realize I’m serious.