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Pregnant car insurance holders urged to wear seatbelts

04 Mar 2010

Posted by Michael Brown

Pregnant car insurance policyholders have been reminded to that they must continue to wear a seatbelt and reassured that it will not harm their baby.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) said that the risk of injury is reduced by up to 70 per cent in an accident when drivers and passengers are wearing a seatbelt.

It offered advice for car insurance policyholders on how to best wear a seatbelt when pregnant.

The lap strap should be placed below the bump, as low as possible, while the diagonal strap should be placed between the breasts and moved around the side of the bump.

"A lot of women don't like the way belts feel and, without realising the danger, let the shoulder strap or the lap belt ride up into the middle of the abdomen," explained Peter Rodger, IAM Chief Examiner.

Road safety minister Paul Clark recently launched a new government campaign reminding car insurance policyholders of the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seatbelt.