After the Flixbus accident near Leipzig: this is what you need to know about the seat belt requirement

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On Wednesday, 170 kilometers after the start in Berlin, a Flixbus left the road on the highway near Leipzig. Four people were killed and dozens were injured in the serious traffic accident. The long-distance bus was on its way to Zurich in Switzerland. A passenger said after the accident that two of her children were upside down in their seats. “We were all wearing seat belts, maybe that was our luck,” she says. Blick wants to know what actually applies to touring cars.

In Switzerland, changes to road traffic legislation came into effect on March 1, 2006. “The obligation to wear seat belts has been extended to all vehicles equipped with seat belts.” “The only exception to this is scheduled transport.”

In Germany, the obligation to wear seat belts was introduced in the early 1970s, the ADAC writes on its website. Coaches above 3.5 tonnes, which are registered for the first time from October 1, 1999, must also be equipped with two-point belts, also known as abdominal or lap belts.

In Germany, the obligation to wear a seat belt is regulated in the traffic regulations. If seat belts are provided, they must be worn by the driver and passengers.

The driver must also inform passengers “that the seat belt must be fastened while driving,” according to the legal portal Ergo. “It is allowed to take off the seat belts for a short time.” You can go to the bus toilet, have a drink or get some new reading material from the luggage compartment. However, you are not allowed to take off your seat belt “to chat with other guests three rows down the aisle.”

The changes to the Astra in 2006 emphasized that “existing seat belts must now be worn, especially in trucks and touring cars”. Also in touring cars the driver must draw attention to the obligation to wear a seat belt.

“You too can contribute to safe bus travel. Wearing a seat belt is mandatory on long-distance buses. So just put on the lap belt in the Flixbus and your safe journey can begin,” the website says. Passengers are also asked to ensure that they and their children are buckled in at all times. The safety of passengers and drivers is the highest priority.

“On Flix’s part, we provide all bus partners with multilingual notices on board about the obligation to wear a seat belt,” says Blick when asked. In addition to the website, you will also find information about the seat belt requirement in the app with the purchased ticket. “We also draw attention to this by means of stickers on the buses.”

Seat belts are the number one lifesaver in a car accident, even more so than airbags and headrests. Belts should never run above, but below, a trouser belt. Otherwise, the seat belt could rise and enter the abdomen during a crash, or the belt buckle could rise and press it into the abdomen like a knife. When it comes to the lap belt, it should be taken into account that it does not have to be attached to the abdomen. The belt, as we know it from the driver’s seat in the car, should run along the shoulder or collarbone. Otherwise it is too high or too low.

The company Flixbus writes on its website that the long-distance bus is the safest means of transport on the road. This is confirmed by the Federal Statistical Office and the TÜV, as “Merkur” reports. Accident investigator Siegfried Brockmann sees it more nuanced. He told ZDF that if you only count the kilometers driven, the touring car is “by no means safer than driving a car, but also not less safe.”

Source: Blick