Replies

1 posted on 04/05/2006 12:53:02 AM PDT by temp409

We have a Dodge Caravan, I'll check it out.

2 posted on 04/05/2006 1:01:48 AM PDT by Fitzcarraldo

It could be possible that Dodge Caravan belts don't function properly in a collision, but you could certainly help out by not driving into things at 35mph.

3 posted on 04/05/2006 1:07:11 AM PDT by The KG9 Kid (Semper Fi!)

First post. First day.

My oldest sister hit her face against the windshield of my parent's car when the brakes were applied suddenly. Of course, back then we piled seven people into a 1963 Ford Fairlane with no seatbelts because that was all we could afford. As my mom put it: My sis had a goose egg for about a day but she survived. That's it. Mom keeps these stories brief and to the point. Boy, times change.

Have you tried writing the NHTSA? Click the name and boom! you're in.

4 posted on 04/05/2006 1:10:40 AM PDT by sully777 (wWBBD: What would Brian Boitano do?)

Hire a GOOD lawyer, and have him/her contact D-C.

5 posted on 04/05/2006 1:15:52 AM PDT by Las Vegas Dave ("Liberals out of power are comical-Liberals in power are dangerous!"-Rush Limbaugh.)

Very sorry to hear about your daughter, hope she's gonna be ok.

As far as seatbelts though...well...I'd prefer we didn't have seatbelt laws. Heck I've driven cars with NO seats in em, much less belts. I just sat on a stack of old tires. Yee-haw!

Seriously all the regualtions in the name of safety irks me, diagonal seatbelts especially. H and anti-submarine belts would be safer but NOBODY (especially women) wears 'em. I did when I autocrossed back in the 70's and Thought they were pretty cool. Plus a helmet would cut WAY down on head injuries and fatalities, but again NOBODY is gonna wear one.

If people really wanna get serious about cutting highway accidents it's very simple really. Just institute a tiered licensing system. To explain very briefly, there would be restrictions on HP, weight, passengers etcetera on each tier of license. Until you reached a certain level of demonstrated capability you wouldn't be allowed to drive an automatic shift vehicle. Only after a person demonstrated a working knowledge of the dynamics of motion would he or she be allowed to move to higher horsepower, manual shift vehicles.

Driver training wouldn't be just the silly "rules of the road" that is taought now. You'd have to be able to define terms like understeer and oversteer, demonstrate the ability to calculate GVW, explain the effects of air pressure in tires, slip angles, power on drift, etcetera.

Sound tough? It is...but drivers would know how to drive.

I'd also include perks for those in the top tiers of licensing...easier penalties for minor traffic violations.

It would really cut down on accidents but....it ain't gonna happen.

Unless I'm made Car Czar...sigh.

BTW Welcome to FR!

prisoner6

6 posted on 04/05/2006 1:15:58 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts hold the country together as the loose screws of the left fall out)

I bought a used Dodge Van and have had my grandson in a car seat in the back seat. Thanks, I'll check it out.

Hope your daughter will be okay.

9 posted on 04/05/2006 1:26:47 AM PDT by leadpenny

Are you sure that belt was secured? Real events have consequences. What ever you do, please poll this forum.

11 posted on 04/05/2006 2:01:45 AM PDT by Treader (Human convenience is always on the edge of a breakthrough, or a sellout)

Hmmm...I'm at work and had to go to my van for something a few minutes ago. Jerked the front belts and they worked. Ditto with the rear belts.

You might want to check out http://www.allpar.com

They're really good with stuff like you describe and hae a section devoted to mini vans. The Yahoo mini van group is good as well. Both sites have search engines so you don't have to sort through pages of posts.

prisoner6

12 posted on 04/05/2006 2:40:37 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts hold the country together as the loose screws of the left fall out)

temp409
Since Apr 5, 2006
Welcome to FR. Please fasten your seat belt - IBTZ!

15 posted on 04/05/2006 5:09:08 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)

As far as I know the 'catch' on the shoulder strap is acutated by gravity when the car is slowed NOT when the strap is yanked.

If this is how the belt in question works then your daughter may have had too much slack in the belt.

Strap someone in and see if the belt unrolls or locks AFTER the brakes are applied. It should lock even if the brakes are applied lightly.

16 posted on 04/05/2006 6:00:46 AM PDT by TalBlack (I WON'T suffer the journalizing or editorializing of people who are afraid of the enemies of freedom)

So you have personally tested the rear seatbelts in how many Caravans?

17 posted on 04/05/2006 6:03:17 AM PDT by Kozak (Anti Shahada: " There is no God named Allah, and Muhammed is his False Prophet")

18 posted on 04/05/2006 6:04:58 AM PDT by dakine

Yanking the belt alone SHOULDN'T cause it to catch - the belt should only catch when the "gravity" (deceleration) mechanism engages. Years ago, you could test the catch by yanking it, but the belts operate differently now.

It is certainly possible that the belt mechanism in your van could be defective, but you won't be able to tell that simply from yanking the belt. Mine work fine (based on attempting to pull the belts while braking/decelerating).

19 posted on 04/05/2006 6:10:21 AM PDT by beezdotcom

belts in the back catch when the brake is applied or after the belt has been pulled out the entire way ,it will have a locking mechanism.

Welcome to FR. This post reminds of something bogdan polaski (sp) would pull.

20 posted on 04/05/2006 6:18:49 AM PDT by WV Mountain Mama (Whoever said prayers don't help after surgery didn't have the Prayer Warriors praying for them!)

See post 10. The rear seat belts worked perfectly on both vans. You may have a defective mechanism but ...

21 posted on 04/05/2006 8:05:28 AM PDT by zip ((Remember: DimocRat lies told often enough become truth to 48% of all Americans (NRA))))

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