A CAN Sigorta Blog

In modern cars, safety looks advanced. Airbags, sensors, cameras, warning lights.
But the most important safety system is still the simplest one.

The seat belt.

It does not flash.
It does not inflate.
It does not make noise once it is on.

Yet almost every other safety system in the car is designed around it.

Why the seat belt still matters in 2025

A collision happens in milliseconds.
The car stops. Your body wants to keep moving.

Physics does not negotiate.

The seat belt’s job is not just to hold you back. It controls how you slow down. Instead of your body stopping instantly, the belt spreads the force over time and across stronger parts of your body: the chest, pelvis and shoulders.

Without a seat belt:

• Your body moves forward uncontrollably

• Airbags cannot position themselves correctly

• Impact forces concentrate on the head and neck

With a seat belt:

• Your position is predictable

• Other safety systems can do their job

• Injuries are significantly reduced

This is not theory. It is how modern vehicles are engineered.

Seat belt and airbag: a paired system

Airbags are often misunderstood. They are not designed to save you on their own.

An airbag is a secondary restraint system.
The primary one is the seat belt.

Airbags assume:

• You are sitting upright

• You are held in place by the belt

• Your distance to the airbag is correct

If the belt is not fastened, the airbag may:

• Deploy too aggressively

• Deploy too late

• Increase the risk of facial, neck or chest injuries

In short:
An airbag without a seat belt is not a safety feature. It is a gamble.

Modern seat belts are not passive

Today’s seat belts are smart.

Most vehicles use:

• Pretensioners that tighten the belt in the first milliseconds of a crash

• Load limiters that reduce pressure on the chest after initial restraint

These systems work in synchronization with airbags and crash sensors.

If the seat belt is not fastened, this entire safety choreography collapses.

Common myths we still see

“I’m driving slowly.”
“At night, the roads are empty.”
“It’s just a short distance.”

Most accidents in North Cyprus happen:

• At low to medium speeds

• Close to home

• On familiar roads

The seat belt is not for dangerous roads.
It is for unexpected moments.

Seat belts and insurance reality

From an insurance perspective, seat belt use matters more than people think.

In serious accidents, expert reports almost always include:

• Seat belt status

• Occupant position

• Injury severity correlation

Not wearing a seat belt does not automatically cancel coverage.