Seatbelt while carrying & driving

[HiredGoon]

For those who carry around the 12:30 1:00 position...do you put the belt behind your firearm or in front of it? I usually carry around 12:30, IWB and tuck the lap belt in behind the pistol.
Seems to work OK.

Anyone else? Anyone see any problems with either way?

[LittleRedToyota]

i do not carry at that position, but i would make two comments...

1. putting the belt over the gun would be dangerous, i think, in that, if you are in an accident, the belt is going to impale the gun into your body.

2. putting the belt under the gun might also be dangerous, i would think, if doing so causes the belt to ride higher than it should (i.e., across your abdomen rather than across your pelvis). a properly positioned seatbelt should contact your body across your pelvis rather than your abdomen. the pelvis is very tough and can take the forces generated on your body by the belt stopping you during a crash. your abdomen is soft and cannot. that much force applied to your abdomen could cause serious internal injuries.

if you can put the belt under the gun and still have it positioned across your pelvis rather than your abdomen, though, then i think that would be the way to go (and, as a bonus, it would make accessing the gun easier).

[bradjc72]

I am right handed and carry strongside, and this is what i like to do. Get a good tactical or hunting belt, and I strap it around the bottom part of my drivers seat not from side to side, but from front to back so it is like my seat is wearing a belt. From there, I get a good retention holster, and I strap it to the front of the seat so it is aimed at the floor between my legs, doesnt get in the way of my driving, legs, seatbelt, anything, and is secured so it doesnt flop around the car, and is VERY accessable.

In the middle of work, so I dont have a pick, but that is the basic idea. If anyone else does this, and has a pic, please include if possible.

[Steve_NEPhila]

I usually carry strong side pocket or IWB and put the belt right over it. I am a subscriber of "drive or shoot, not both." So I am not too worried about getting at it while driving. Car doors, windshields and the like are pretty bullet resistant and a moving target is hard to hit. Besides, 3500 lbs of Japanese steel and 270 hp will help me more then a .357 if trouble goes down.

As for getting in an accident with a holstered gun, do not sweat it. No need to worry about being "impaled" because it will not happen, unless you mounted the bayonet on your glock. The forces in a car crash are severe, yet seatbelts stretch. It is safer then risking going without the seatbelt and flying through the windshield into god knows where.

Kind of off topic, an excellent and academic reason to wear a seatbelt is "so does going through the windshield." I will demonstrate:

"I do not like seatbelts, it wrinkles my clothes."
So does going through the windshield

"I do not like wearing a seatbelt because it is uncomfortable."
So does going through the windshield

etc... rinse and repeat as necessary.

[30Glock]

Gun on pass seat covered with shirt

[LittleRedToyota]

a couple more thoughts...all imho, of course...

carrying the gun loose on a seat might not be the best idea. if you get into an accident, you will have a pretty heavy piece of steel flying around the passenger compartment. this could, of course, injure you. in addition, you may not have any idea where your gun is once the accident is over (may not even still be in your car).

carrying the gun off of your body but secured gets right of the issue of the gun flying around in an accident. however, there is still the issue that, if you have to get out of the car in a hurry, you might have to leave your gun behind. and, if you have to get out of the car in a hurry, you might be in a situation where you would want to have your gun on you outside of the car.

just some food for thought.

(personally, i carry a around 3:00--a little behind maybe. i leave the gun there and put my seatbelt over top of it. the seatbelt does not actually press on the gun as my seatbelt does not wrap around the side of my pelvis that tightly. so, if i am in a head-on accident, the belt will not press the gun into my body. if i am thrown to the right, it may, though...but no solution is perfect. however, i drive a truck with a bench seat...if i had bucket seats, this method may not work.

in a car, a shoulder holster might actually be the ticket. but i personally do not like them for carry outside of a car. and i personally do not want to have to move my gun around everytime i get in or out of a car.

not trying to say "this is the correct way" or "that is the wrong way"...just trying to point out some compromises with various solutions to carrying in a car and provide food for thought.)

[LittleRedToyota]

As for getting in an accident with a holstered gun, do not sweat it. No need to worry about being "impaled" because it will not happen, unless you mounted the bayonet on your glock. The forces in a car crash are severe, yet seatbelts stretch.

i didn't really make myself clear.

when the seatbelt is across your pelvis without the gun in between, the force of the seatbelt restraining you is spread across your entire pelvis...and, as you said, the seatbelt can stretch and conform to the shape your pelvis a bit.

if you have the gun between, the gun cannot stretch and conform to the shape of your pelvis at all. and, the force of the seatbelt restraining you will be focused on that one point.

kinda like if you hit a car window with something big, like a brick, the brick will often bounce off because the force is spread out. however, if you hit a car window with something that has a sharp point, it takes remarkably little force to shatter the window because all of the force is focused on a small area.

having a gun between the seatbelt and your pelvis will focus the force.

but, i was not suggesting not wearing a seatbelt. to me, that is not an option. i was suggesting one should figure out a way to carry that allows the seatbelt to be worn properly.

[mjf]

While driving, I've found that the quickest draw for me is from an ankle holster. It's unobstructed by any seat belt and you're hands can get close to it very quickly.

[30Glock]

While driving, I've found that the quickest draw for me is from an ankle holster. It's unobstructed by any seat belt and you're hands can get close to it very quickly.

I am LH and that seems to be the most practical idea, never tried a ankle holster, I will look into that.

[hgsw67]

I carry strong side, around 3:30, the seatbelt sits somewhat in front of the gun, the gun is still accessible( as if i was reaching for my wallet), yet it is also hidden from view of anyone coming up on my window (weak) side, and not very visible if someone comes up on my strong sideeither. Just my .02 worth.
hgsw67