During a car crash, our bodies can “submarine”, forcing the pelvis down into
the seat. If this happens, the lap portion of the seat belt can ride up,
injuring the abdomen. To prevent this, some car seats have metal bars across the
seat under the knee area, but they can be uncomfortable. The answer, says
Christopher Kavanagh of Safety Engineering Consultants in Cheshire, is to build
a small airbag into the front of the seat (GB 2 332 884). The bag inflates
during a crash, preventing the body from submarining.
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