A cut as small as 5 millimetres can reduce the performance of your seat belt by one half. In certain circumstances that could be enough to render it ineffective in a crash.
That's just one way seat belt performance can be impaired. The performance of seat belts deteriorates with age as well as use. Considering that the average Australian car is over 10 years old, that's a sobering thought.
Seat belts that are old or have been in a car accident must be replaced. Check our Seat Belt Safety Checklist to ensure that the webbing strength, stitching, and retractor operation of the seat belts in your car are adequate. Please don't wait for an accident to find out that your seat belt needs replacing.
If you do need to replace your seat belt, make sure you have the correct replacement seat belt for your make and model of car, and read the instructions carefully. Our replacement seat belt page can help you find the correct replacement seat belt.
Also, while most seat belts are not hard to replace, in some states, such as New South Wales, it is law that seat belts must be replaced at a seat belt fitting station. If you have any questions about seat belt safety, please do not hesitate to ring our Safety Hotline on 1800 804 588 from Australia, 0800 440 703 from New Zealand, 61 3 9355 5533 International.
