Final answer:
Safety belts and child seats prevent injuries by keeping passengers secured, distributing crash forces, slowing down momentum changes, protecting children's vulnerable bodies, and preventing interior contacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are several ways that safety belts and child seats prevent injury in the event of a car accident:
Safety belts and child seats keep passengers secured to their seats, preventing them from being ejected from the vehicle.They distribute the forces of a crash across the sturdiest parts of the body, such as the pelvis and chest.Reducing the speed of the body's change in momentum by increasing the time over which the stop occurs, thereby decreasing the force experienced by the occupants.Child seats are specifically designed to protect the vulnerable bodies of young children by ensuring they are properly restrainedBoth safety belts and child seats reduce the risk of contact with interior elements of the car such as the dashboard or front seats during a crash.
By using these safety features, the risk of serious injuries, including those to the brain and spinal cord which can cause lifelong disability, are significantly reduced.