The woman will have to visit a style salon and try something short for the summer. The Sebring was completely burned out. Meanwhile, I forgot to mention watching a T 28 make an emergency wheels up landing on the beach as I was driving by. I called the news station to volunteer demonstrating various emergency cutters and referenced ETS. I was turned down. They had time to update Dannylynne and a movie in the works.

Saw that T-28 on the news. Funny way to surf...

Even if you don't buy a specialized rescue tool, or seatbelt cutter, and you don't EDC a knife, you could have a small partially-serrated folder clipped to the side of your seat, or in the center console that would make quick work of a seatbelt. I have one there for just that purpose, it's not my favorite, but, it'll do the job. For the faint of heart, some EMT cutters would probably do the trick too, and are handy if you need to cut a penny in half to make change at the tollbooth...

Two kids, wife and I each have a resq-me on our keyrings- The idea of cable-tieing to the seat belt attachment is a good one. I found the cheapest way to buy them was on EBAY. When you get a bunch (stocking stuffers) shipping becomes a small amt. per item.

By the way, my Dad's best friend died in his car when, while drinking, he got in a minor accident- wife got out- he couldn't get out of his belt and burned up even though several people tried to get him out.

I have a Gerber rescue knife in the glove compartment along with a leatherman wave, I bought 2 of the gerber rescues when they were on closeout at lowes for 10.99 the other I keep in my backpack. On my person I carry an Endura and Vic Swisstool rescue with the serrated blunt tipped blade. I think I might even buy a Benchmade ERT and put that with everything in my glove compartment. I get bone headed responses from alot of people but then I know that if something happens I'm going to have options and probably survive while they most likely wont.

Can anyone 'splain to me why seatbelts seem to be so prone to jamming on impact?

If I were to design a seatbelt buckle, I would make sure that it would still operate after being subject to a load equal to the breaking strength of the webbing, no?

Good question, I'm kinda wondering the same thing. Is cutting the seatbelt a common occurance? I would hope the seatbelt buckle would operate flawlessly after a high stress situation. Maybe they don't release while under load? I don't know. I wonder if the airline style seatbelts, with the lever instead of the button, are more reliable after an impact. Seems like a lot of the racing belts are like that, rather than the button type that you find in cars.

Well, the problem sometimes is actually being able to reach/find the buckle. Been to a crash scene? Cars get a little, shall we say, reorganized. Also, when someone's potentially injured, it's just more expedient and often safer to cut away things, clothing too.

Don't worry and cut that belt anyway :
AFAIK, after an accident, seat belts are no longer usable.
When I need that kind of large strap, I ask my favorite mechanic and he let me go and cut belts out of crashed cars, as he cannot re-use them.