The seatbelt has saved many lives but may not always provide the best protection for a pregnant woman's unborn baby. The Pixie Pregnancy Seatbelt harness is designed to spread accident forces across the wearer's upper torso and hips and away from the precious 'bump'.
Advice to expectant mothers is that the standard seatbelt should be worn with the lap part across the hips, under the bump, and the diagonal belt around the bump. Apparently only 11% of pregnant women wear seatbelts like this and if worn incorrectly the seatbelt can put pressure on the foetus in the event of an accident. It was a story of a pregnant woman being prosecuted for not wearing her seatbelt that inspired the harness's inventor, Stephen Weston, back in 2005, to design a better safety device.
The Pixie harness attaches to the standard seatbelt so that the diagonal portion of the belt passes behind the wearer. It features straps that pass over the shoulders and around the ribcage. The straps are fastened in a buckle by Willans who also make harnesses for Formula 1. The lap portion of the standard belt is still worn over the hips when the Pregnancy Seatbelt Harness is in use.
The design is intended to work with most car seats including those in the rear with a diagonal belt. It has been endorsed by one of the world's leading crash investigation experts and Head of Bolton Automotive & Aerospace Research Group, Professor Clive Chirwa.
Go to www.pregnancyseatbeltharness.com for more information.