HOW WE KNOW SAFETY BELTS REDUCE INJURY AND FATALITY RISKS

This paper summarizes the technical evidence for the effectiveness of safety belts, and the laws requiring their use. The evidence regarding belts is discussed under the following three broad headings: (1) Impact biomechanics, namely the mechanical basis of injury causation; (2) The observed effect of safety belts, given that a crash has occurred; and (3) changes in casualties after the passage of mandatory wearing laws. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 875833.