Safety, seat belts, helmets and child restraints
Occupant protection questions check whether you know who must wear what, who is responsible, and how child restraints interact with airbags.
Seat belts
Everyone travelling in a car must use the seat belt or an approved restraint where one is fitted. The driver is responsible for passengers under 15 using belts or child restraints correctly. Adults are responsible for their own belts. Adjust the belt so the lap part sits low across the hips and the shoulder part crosses the chest and shoulder, not the neck. Pregnant women should still wear the belt, with the lap part below the bump.
Children
Children under 135 cm must use an approved child restraint suited to their height and weight. Children under 3 must use an approved child seat. A rear-facing child seat must not be used in a front passenger seat with an active airbag; the airbag must be deactivated or the child moved to the rear. Do not use a booster cushion with only a lap belt if the child needs upper-body restraint; follow the seat manufacturer's instructions. Never hold a child on your lap; the adult cannot restrain the child in a crash.
Helmets and head restraints
Helmets are compulsory for riders and passengers on motorcycles and mopeds, including 30 km/h mopeds. Bicycle helmets are not compulsory in Denmark for adults or children, but they are strongly recommended. Adjust head restraints so the top is roughly level with the top of the head; a low restraint can worsen whiplash.
Worked example
You are carrying a 2-year-old, 80 cm tall, in the front passenger seat. The car has an active passenger airbag and the child seat is rear-facing. This is not allowed. You must either deactivate the airbag and follow the vehicle manufacturer's instructions, or fit the rear-facing seat in the rear. Because the child is under 135 cm and under 3, an approved child seat is required, not an adult belt alone.
Traps
Assuming belts are only for long journeys; using a booster with a lap-only belt; placing a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag; and forgetting that moped passengers also need helmets.