A seat belt is one of the major components of a car that is not joked about by law enforcement agencies and road safety officers.
Not wearing a seat belt while driving is like seeing a dangerous hole, instead of you to jump the hole, you decide to walk into the hole and have yourself killed.
Seat belt comes in different colors with black being the most popular color for seat belts. But, what about an orange seat belt? What does an orange seat belt mean?
An orange seat belt means nothing but high visibility, a clear indication that you’re wearing a seatbelt while driving. It distinguishes your clothing and the seatbelt, thereby making it possible for law enforcement agencies to see from afar that you are wearing a seatbelt.Â
What is a Seat Belt?
A seat belt is a device built into a car with the primary function of protecting the user from harm. The seat belt is there to ensure that the user doesn’t hit his or her head at the steering wheel in an accident.
However, using a seat belt doesn’t guarantee all-around protection in an accident. This is because there are several other safety devices in a car that assists the seatbelt to ensure less harm to the user. A perfect example of such a device is an airbag.
An airbag that is deployed in a crash can assist the seat belt to ensure your head and some other parts of your body are secured.
Nonetheless, it is important to note that, as a driver, you are mandated by law to wear a seat belt while driving. If you are caught driving without wearing a seat belt, you will get a seatbelt ticket.
What Does an Orange Seat Belt Mean?
There is only one specific meaning attached to an orange seat belt – high visibility. The fact that your seat belt is orange in color makes it more visible than the black or grey seat belts.
Orange seat belts are attached to semi-trucks. It is more visible on trucks, as made by truck manufacturers to improve visibility.
When you are a truck driver using a seat belt that is orange in color, a police officer won’t have to pull you over because he or she must have seen that you are wearing a seat belt from afar.
If it’s a black seat belt, the officer may decide to pull you over to be sure you are wearing a seat belt while driving. Imagine having a black leather seat, a black seat belt, and wearing a black shirt while driving your truck.
It will be hard to discover whether your seatbelt is on or not unlike if it’s an orange-colored seat belt.
Also, some trucking companies that have cameras inside their trucks, with the orange seat belt, are able to determine whether their drivers are using their seatbelts or not.
Which Vehicle Can You Find an Orange Seat Belt?
You can find an orange seatbelt mostly in trucks and semi-trucks like the UPS.
As reiterated earlier, these truck manufacturers install orange-colored seat belts in their trucks to increase visibility and authenticate, without having to stop the truck driver that, he is indeed wearing a seatbelt.
The idea of using an orange color for seatbelts in semi-trucks must have come from the fact that trucks and semi-truck drivers sit far up, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to determine whether they are wearing a seatbelts or not.
But with the orange-colored seatbelt, they can spot the seatbelt strapped around the driver from afar and avoid pulling them over.
Pros of Orange Seat Belt
Here are the pros of orange seat belts:
It Increases Visibility
The major reason for the use of orange seat belts is to increase visibility. To enable law enforcement agencies to see from afar that you are indeed wearing a seatbelt.
It Saves Your From Getting Pulled Over
If the law enforcement agency can see you are wearing your seatbelt from afar, there is a high chance that they won’t have to pull you over to verify that unless you have done something bad.
The Company Will Believe You
The essence of a seatbelt is to secure. Some truck companies who have cameras inside their trucks can clearly see and be sure that you are always using your seatbelt.
Should in case an accident occur, it will clearly show from the camera that your seatbelt was on before, during, and after the accident to protect you.
Cons of Orange Seat Belt
The disadvantages of an orange seatbelt range from:
- Being Uncomfortable to Some: Since orange seat belts are mostly seen in semi-trucks which are mostly driven by men, some men may find it uncomfortable using seat belts that are orange in color. Not because the belt is uncomfortable, but because of the color of the belt.
- Being Too Visible: Using orange seat belts makes it more visible that you are strapped. For truck drivers under companies that monitor their trucks with cameras, they can easily be spotted when the seat belt is not in use.
- It Does Not Hide Dirt: While black seatbelts hide dirt, orange seatbelt doesn’t hide dirt. If there is dirt on the seatbelt, it will be visible for all to see. It will look as if you don’t clean your seatbelt.
Moreover, having an orange seat belt that doesn’t hide dirt is an added advantage. It will save you the stress of having your cloth stained because of the dirt on the seatbelt.
Since it’s quite visible, you can easily see it and wash it off. You should learn how to clean your seatbelt and stop complaining that it doesn’t hide dirt.
Final Thoughts
While an orange seat belt means high visibility, it also comes with a comfort feature such as the Komfort Latch that ensures that the seatbelt irritation is reduced by relieving tension so the belt doesn’t rub the diver’s shoulder while driving.
While many drivers may not like the fact that their seat belts are orange in color, the fact remains that most times, it saves these drivers from being pulled over by law enforcement agencies and road safety officers.