After 50 Years the Standard Seatbelt is Improved by a Simple Five Minute Add-On Device

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – August, 10 2009: August 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the three-point seatbelt invented by Volvo. The company estimates over one million lives have been saved worldwide and 35,000 in the UK since 1983. But now with a simple add-on device, further improvements have been made to reduce injuries.

The CG-LockÒ, (CG = centre of gravity) is a driver/passenger seatbelt stabiliser which enhances safety and improves the posture and comfort of passengers in a vehicle using the standard three-point system.

The CG-LockÒ, with a recommended retail price of £49.99 per unit (including VAT and shipping and handling), can be fitted in just a few minutes to existing inertia reel seatbelts.

The device

Most of us tend to sit upright in a vehicle and take the slack out of the lapbelt when we start out on our journey. However, even after a few minutes, slack creeps into the lapbelt causing it to ride up off the hip bones onto the stomach and allowing the pelvis to rotate causing ‘slouching’. This compromises good posture as well as safety.

With the CG-LockÒ fitted, when the slack is removed from the lap belt it stays out, keeping the occupant in the safest and healthiest position. The road safety charity BRAKE recently acknowledged the safety benefits by giving it a ‘highly commended’ rating.

The device was originally invented for performance drivers wanting the benefits of a harness but not the hassle. It is used by top performance drivers all over the world including the Top Gear Live shows and is used for many blockbuster film stunts, including the most recent 007 Bond movie “Quantum of Solace”.

Why? To give them much better control during highly skilful manoeuvres, giving them that ‘at one’ feeling with the vehicle.

However, this little palm sized gadget is now sold to the general public via healthcare professionals and to business-to-business operations as a medical device to significantly reduce or eliminate backache. Business clients include OfCom and British Gas.

The CG-LockÒ is also perfect to stabilise children in booster seats, eliminating the usual ‘tipping’ on cornering and therefore significantly improving their safety.

With the demands of drivers ever increasing along with the performance of cars increasing, it’s a good job that 50 years on the seatbelt is getting even safer.