Jul 1, 2009, 14:32 GMT
Stockholm - A new seatbelt system has been designed to reduce injury in multiple collision accidents, pulling back the occupants automatically after a first impact to allow better protection from airbags and seatbelts.
The reversible pre-pretensioner belt system is activated by a compressed air motor during the first impact, pulling the occupants of the vehicle into an upright and safer position for a second more forceful impact.
Accident research has shown that some 25 per cent of accidents are multiple impacts, resulting in three times higher risk of significant injury and four times higher risk of fatal injury. The average time gap between the first and second impact is about one second with the pneumatic pre-pretensioner belt system needing only 0.36 seconds to pull the occupant into the right position.
The system was presented at the recent Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) in Stuttgart, Germany, by the Autoliv manufacturer of automative safety equipment.
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