Driving while pregnant? Beware of seatbelt adjusters
Seatbelts save thousands of lives every year, so it might surprise you to learn that those life-savers can contribute to fetal injury when pregnant people are in car crashes. Consumer Reports reveals the important safety steps you need to take when driving while pregnant.
Remember those old crash-test dummy PSAs reminding you to buckle your safety belt? It shouldn’t be surprising that the two dummies were named Vince and Larry.
Vehicles and restraint systems are designed to protect average-sized men. That potentially leaves small women, older people, and children more vulnerable in a crash. And it’s bad for pregnant people.
To address that risk for pregnant people, some companies sell seatbelt adjusters or positioners, devices that attach to the lap portion of a seat belt and essentially anchor it down between the user’s legs, farther away from the abdomen. But do they work?
The problem with seatbelt adjusters is that the government doesn’t set any standards for them or regulate them. So many experts think that the three-point seatbelt is still a pregnant person’s best bet and that any modifications to the car’s safety restraint system can be problematic.
Even though seatbelts in cars weren’t designed specifically to protect pregnant people, they’re still the best option for safety—if they’re worn correctly.
First, adjust your seat so that you have as much distance as possible between your belly and the steering wheel. Adjust the steering wheel so that you can reach it and the pedals comfortably. Then, put your seatbelt on, adjust the shoulder belt height, and make sure your lap belt is properly positioned.
Don’t wear the lap belt over your belly because that could harm your baby in a crash. Make sure it’s positioned underneath. It should fit snugly across your hips and pelvic bone.
Other reminders: Never disable the airbags, and if you don’t have to be the driver, it’s best to sit in the front passenger seat with it pushed as far back from the dashboard as possible.
With files from Consumer Reports
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.