Star Trek Cast Members Advocate for Seat Belts on Starfleet Vessels

Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax and Ensign Harry Kim, actors from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager respectively, believe that Star Trek should include seat belts on their starships. In the world of Star Trek, ships like the USS Enterprise and USS Voyager travel faster than the speed of light, yet daily life on board remains seemingly unaffected by the high speeds of space travel. The action on these vessels appears relatively stationary, whether at warp or sub-light speeds.

When starships come under attack in battle, the laws of physics come into play. Starfleet personnel brace themselves for impact, with some unlucky officers thrown from their stations and sustaining injuries. While space travel is inherently dangerous, shouldn't there be seat belts in place to reduce the risk of being thrown out of one's seat during attacks, especially when facing threats like Borg assimilation or Romulan attacks?

DS9 & Voyager Actors Wonder Why Star Trek Doesn't Have Seat Belts

DS9's Jadzia Dax actor has a theory about Star Trek seat belts.

kai opaka, benjamin sisko, kira nerys in shuttlecraft red light ds9 battle lines - DS9's Jadzia Dax actor has a theory about Star Trek seat belts. - DS9 & Voyager Actors Wonder Why Star Trek Doesn't Have Seat Belts

Terry Farrell from DS9 joins co-hosts Robert Duncan McNeill and Garrett Wang from Voyager on The Delta Flyers podcast to review Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 13, "Battle Lines". During their discussion, Farrell raises concerns about the lack of safety restraints in Starfleet after the runabout is hit, causing injuries to Major Kira Nerys and Kai Opaka. Dive into their conversation and tune in to The Delta Flyers starting at the 34:27 timestamp.

Terry Farrell questions why there are no seat belts or harnesses on the spacecraft, pointing out that even airline pilots have them for safety in flight. She expresses surprise at the lack of such basic safety measures in space travel.

Garrett Wang explains that the absence of seat belts or harnesses in spacecraft is a consistent feature across all Star Trek series and movies, suggesting that it is a long-standing tradition in the franchise.

Terry Farrell: I know, but it makes no sense. It's so maddening.

Garrett Wang: When J.J. Abrams took over that [2009] feature film ... there's seat belts in that film.

Terry Farrell: I think it's because [having seat belts] stops you from getting up easily. But you should still have them for flight.

Star Trek Invented Inertial Dampeners to Avoid Seat Belts on Starships

Star Trek does have seat belts, they just use them occasionally.

Zachary Quinto as Spock in Star Trek Beyond looking serious while strapped into a spaceship seat - Star Trek does have seat belts, they just use them occasionally. - Star Trek Invented Inertial Dampeners to Avoid Seat Belts on Starships

In order to eliminate the need for seat belts on starships, Star Trek introduced inertial dampeners, also known as dampers, as a crucial component of starship systems. These dampeners work by absorbing inertia, effectively counteracting the impact of a vehicle's acceleration, especially during warp speeds. Similar to artificial gravity generators, inertial dampeners play a vital role in creating an environment aboard a starship that closely resembles real-world conditions depicted in Star Trek. They are a standard system equipped with a bypass in case of malfunction, highlighting the significance of inertial dampeners in preventing potentially disastrous scenarios, such as falling incidents during attacks on starships.

Star Trek seat belts do exist, but they are seldom utilized. Seat belts are deliberately fastened during turbulent conditions in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009), as mentioned by Voyager's Garrett Wang. Over-the-shoulder seat harnesses similar to those in the Prime Timeline 24th century can be seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Nemesis, and Star Trek: Picard. In Star Trek: Lower Decks, Lt. Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) uses a more conventional-looking seat belt to secure a Genesis Device in a bridge seat. There isn't a single reason why seat belts are not more commonly used in Star Trek, but Farrell and Wang's belief that they should be is not unfounded.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek (2009) are available for streaming on Paramount+.

Source: The Delta Flyers "Battle Lines"

Editor's P/S:

As an avid Star Trek fan, I find the lack of seat belts on starships a puzzling oversight. The high speeds at which these vessels travel would make seat belts a crucial safety feature, especially during battles. The testimony of Jadzia Dax and Harry Kim highlights this issue, as they have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of ship attacks without proper restraints.

Inertial dampeners, while effective in reducing inertia, cannot fully eliminate the risks of high-speed travel. Seat belts would provide an additional layer of protection, preventing crew members from being thrown from their stations and sustaining injuries. The fact that seat belts are rarely used in the Star Trek universe seems to prioritize aesthetics and ease of movement over safety. While I understand the need for characters to move freely during scenes, the safety of the crew should be paramount.