"vincent p. norris" wrote in message
...
Isn't it easier just to unfasten them?

Yes it is -
Unless you are hanging upside down, disoriented, unable to see . . .

Sorry, Tony, I just don't find that persuasive. If you're "hanging
upside down, disoriented, unable to see," you're going to have a lot
more trouble finding your tool, unhooking it from your belt, etc.,
than opening a seat belt buckle you've done hundreds of times before.

Or, perhaps something is jammed against the release, or against the harness
so you just can't access the release. Or the harness is tangled with
something or the release is mangled somehow. Or your hand/arm that should
operate the release is broken, or, your passenger can't get to his release
and you can only reach some other part of their harness ...