Underappreciated Car Feature: Height-Adjustable Seat Belts
Lately I've nticed that I've been taking advantage of the height-adjustable seat belts in a lot of our test cars. They really help me get my seatbelt placement
and comfort just right. My fellow editors (and their passengers) run the gamut in terms of height, and I happen to have a long torso, too, so maybe it's not surprising that I have to adjust the height of the shoulder strap in a test car now and then after someone else has been driving it. But my ability to do so makes me really appreciate that height-adjustable seat belts are becoming more and more common in new cars.
For drivers who are at the extremes of the growth chart -- especially shorter drivers -- height-adjustable seat belts are a key safety feature, given that an ill-placed shoulder strap can be very dangerous in a collision. And couples of drastically different heights will appreciate the ability to fine-tune this aspect of their seating position. On your next test drive, I highly recommend taking a second to see if the car you're considering has this useful feature.
- Posted by
- Bryn MacKinnon January 21, 2009, 12:00 PM
- Permalink
- Categories:
- Car Safety
- Technorati Tags:
- car safety, safety features, seat belt
This has always been an appreciated feature by myself. I can't stand cars where this is set too high. Not only is it a safety feature, but it's a comfort feature. A belt set too high rubs my neck while I drive. That's a deal breaker.
Does anyone know how to ADD this adjustable height features on a car that does not have it? Perhaps an after market add-on? What would it be called and where can I get one? I need the seat belt shoulder strap to be a little higher than where it is and I can't find a way to change it!