The seat belt syndrome.

TO DETERMINE WHETHER SEAT BELTS CAUSE INJURY, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN USE OF SEAT BELTS AND INJURIES TO THE ABDOMEN, PELVIS, AND LUMBAR SPINE WAS STUDIED. SEAT BELT FAILURE WAS ALSO EXAMINED. FREQUENCY OF LOWER TORSO INJURIES WAS SIMILAR FOR INJURED BELT USERS AND INJURED NON-USERS. SERIOUS INJURIES AMONG THE BELT USERS WERE USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MORE SEVERE ACCIDENTS. BELT FAILURE OCCURRED AMONG LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF ALL BELTS. BELT FAILURE IMPLIES THAT THE WEARER EXERTED FORCE EXCEEDING THE BELT'S STRENGTH, BUT ONLY ONE SERIOUS LOWER TORSO INJURY WAS FOUND AMOUNG THE BELT FAILURE CASES.