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Shoulder harness systems can use dual shoulder belts, or a single diagonal belt similar to those used in automobiles. The belts should not rub against your head or neck. This is uncomfortable and will discourage use of the shoulder harness and can also cause neck injuries during an impact.
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If the shoulder harness uses dual belts fastened to the safety belt near the center of your body, the shoulder belts will tend to pull the safety belt up off your hip bones. This could cause internal injuries in an impact.
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When it is tightened about your hips, the safety belt should be positioned so that it makes an angle of about 55 degrees with the centerline of the airplane. This allows It to resist the upward pull of the shoulder belts, reducing the risk of internal injury.
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Otherwise, a tiedown strap from the buckle to the center-forward edge of the seat may be necessary to resist the upward pull of the shoulder belts.
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If your restraint system uses a tie-down strap, adjust it to remove all the slack when the restraint system is used. A properly installed and adjusted tie-down strap is completely safe.
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Single diagonal shoulder belts should be positioned so that the torso's center of gravity falls within the angle formed by the shoulder belt and the safety belt. Otherwise your torso may roll right out of the shoulder belt during an impact and compromise your protection.
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Because the lower end of the shoulder belt is usually fastened to the safety belt buckle or the buckle insert, the safety belt buckle should be positioned on the side of your hip. This differs from the central location of the buckle that is common when only the safety belt is used.
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Be sure that the safety belt is installed so that when the buckle is unlatched, both the safety belt and the shoulder belt are released. Also, be sure that the buckle can be unlatched without interference from the seat armrest, aircraft controls, or the interior wall of the airplane.
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