Drivers are only just realizing what the button on their seatbelt is actually for

Did you know there’s actually a little button on a seatbelt that has a very specific function?

Though you hopefully never need it, a seatbelt is designed to secure a car driver or a passenger in their seat during a collision or a sudden stop.

Not only do they stop you from ploughing through the window screen during a crash, but they can actually reduce the risk of death in a serious accident by up to 50 percent, according to road safety charity, Brake.

Of course, the seatbelt system is made up of a variety of components, including the buckle, the tongue attached to the webbing, and pillar loops used in three-point systems.

But have you ever noticed a little plastic button, often located near where the belt tongue inserts?

Well, you may be interested to know it’s actually there to keep the buckle itself in the right part of the belt.

TikToker @epiccfacts explained: "The little button on your seatbelt is to stop the buckle from going past it.

Learning about the seatbelt system will encourage you and others to wear one when driving (Getty Stock Image)

"So it will always be in the right spot when you go to buckle it up."

So, the button is there to make sure that the buckle is always in a convenient part of the belt for you to strap in, often right where you would reach to grab it and pull across yourself.

While that might seem like a nice afterthought or a luxury, it's actually a very important part of ensuring the seatbelt functions properly.

But why is that? Well, the thing about seatbelts is that they only work if you wear them.

Learning about the seatbelt button blew one TikTok users' mind (Getty Stock Image)

If every time you go to put your seatbelt on, you have to wrestle to get the buckle down to the right place, it's going to get annoying.

And if some people get annoyed every time they try to put it on, they might start not wearing it.

By making the belt as easy as possible to put on, manufacturers encourage people to wear them and get the safety benefits.

People shared their thoughts on the feature on social media.

One wrote: "Wow that seatbelt one blew my mind, I would have never thought of that", while another said: "Wow! I never knew!!"

But others already knew, with one writing: "I thought we all knew about the seat belt", while another commented, "Everyone knew the seatbelt one.”