History

• The modern seat belt comes form humble beginnings. The seat belts appeared in the United States in the early 1900s, according to the Prevention Institute. In the 1920s, the United States adopted the design for use in automobiles, and seat belts began to be installed in race cars. However, it took another 30 years before factory-installation of the safety belt began.
  
  

Function

• The seat belt has a specific function: safety. Thousands of people die in vehicle accidents each year after failing to wear seat belts, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The belts are designed to keep people safe in the event of an accident, to prevent them from being thrown from the vehicle.
  
  A seat belt extender may also be used on airplanes, allowing better safety across different modes of transportation.
  
  

The Seat Belt Extender

• Seat belts generally consist of two straps, one of which may be quite short, that connect with a buckle or latch. The other strap is longer and adjustable in some fashion, so that only the length required is used. However, sometimes an extension is needed.
  
  The seat belt extender is a length of strap that connects securely to the straps in a car. Extenders may be needed for those with certain health conditions. The extenders are available in a number of sizes, providing the best safety with the best strap length for anyone.
  
  

Laws

• In most areas of the United States, it is the law requires wearing a seat belt in a car. If the installed strap length does not work for someone, the extender allows the person to remain within the law.
  
  

Installation

• Many states mandate that car drivers and passengers wear seat belts.car image by Edvin selimovic from Fotolia.com
  
  Some extenders snap into the existing strap, while others may require special installation. If buying a car new, it may be possible to have the extender installed at the time of purchase. For those not purchasing a new car, there are universal seat belt extenders that fit most vehicles.
  
  

Precautions

• The correct-length seat belt extender should always be used. It is important to confirm that an extender meets safety regulations before using it.