Driver's License Test Prep
Pennsylvania Practice Safety Belts & Restraints

How does the manual say a seat belt should be positioned on the body?

  1. A.
    Snug across the hips, with the shoulder strap resting on the neck.
  2. B.
    Snug across the hips, with the shoulder strap across the chest and off the neck. Correct
  3. C.
    Loose across the stomach so the shoulder strap can move freely.
  4. D.
    With the shoulder strap tucked behind the back for comfort.
The Why

The answer is "Snug across the hips, with the shoulder strap across the chest and off the neck."

The manual pairs a snug lap belt across the hips with a shoulder strap that lies across the chest and stays clear of the neck. Any routing that puts the strap on the neck, behind the back, or under the arm defeats the design. Reading 'as high as possible' as 'as close to the neck as possible' is what pulls a driver toward A, where the strap ends up on the neck instead of on the chest where the belt is meant to catch the upper body.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Snug across the hips, with the shoulder strap resting on the neck.

The strap belongs across the chest, away from the neck, because a neck routing can cause serious injury in a crash. Reader confuses "as high as possible" with "as close to the neck as possible."

C. Loose across the stomach so the shoulder strap can move freely.

A loose belt lets the body pitch forward before the belt catches, which is what the belt is meant to prevent. Comes from a comfort-first habit of leaving slack in the belt.

D. With the shoulder strap tucked behind the back for comfort.

Routing the strap behind the back removes the upper-body restraint entirely and leaves only the lap belt working. This is a widespread bad habit rather than an approved position.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Safety Belts & Restraints in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "AIR BAG SAFETY INFORMATION," p.91..

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