Mothers in the car: seat belts and pregnancy

Code 172 of the Highway Code exempts pregnant women from wearing seat belts but only when there is a medical certificate certifying the actual danger to health.

We asked Dr. Stefania Luchini, Head of the Functional Unit of the Gynecological Day Surgery of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan to shed some light on this.

"Seat belts in pregnancy must always be worn - the Doctor pointed out - despite the existence of this law that provides for exemption through a medical certificate. Failure to use it can cause very serious consequences for both the mother and the unborn child. But not only; they must also be worn when traveling on the passenger's slimline, with the airbag activated and when the pregnant woman is in the rear seats ".

The belt must be positioned correctly to avoid trauma to the uterus: the lower part, from the second trimester of pregnancy, must be inserted under the belly, in the pubic area. The side part, on the other hand, must be at a distance from the neck and pass between the two breasts, while the seat of the pregnant driver must have a distance of about 25 centimeters from the steering wheel.

Several studies have shown that, in the event of a car accident, pregnant women who did not wear a seat belt suffered serious consequences, even fatal in 25% of cases. Given that it drops to 3% if, on the other hand, they have been worn properly and correctly.


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