The Surreal Posters Series has been a program that was highly subscribed to. Delegates are able to download the poster series for free, featuring five posters focusing on the five key risk factors in road safety. Now, YOURS is featuring a focus on each poster explaining the risk factor behind each theme. This week, we focus on seatbelts…
Non-Use of Seat Belts
Ever wondered why most countries have seatbelt laws? And why some countries are very strict in enforcing these laws? The answer is in three words: seatbelts save lives! It is now known that seatbelts have saved more lives than any other road safety intervention in history.
Have excuses not to wear your seatbelt? Here are some common excuses and why they don’t work.
Seatbelts are not needed if the car is equipped with air bags
Check out what is says on your air bag: SRS – meaning supplementary restraint system. Air bags are not designed to work alone but to supplement the work of the seatbelt. Air bags will not prevent you from being thrown out of the car and might actually cause sever injuries in high impact crashes.
A seatbelt will trap you in the car in a fire or underwater
Aside from the action movies and thrillers, how often have you seen a crash cause a fire or throw the car in water? Crashes involving fire or water account for less than one perent of all crashes. In case of a crash of such magnitude, without a seatbelt, a person will be killed or at least very seriously injured. Wearing a seatbelt can keep from sustaining such unjuries and you can unbuckle yourself when needed. Not only that, but in case of submersion underwater, keep you belt on and it can help you escape by stabilizing your body as you try to open the door or window.
Belts can hurt you in a crash
Not more that you will be hurt without them! Seatbelts are meant to restrain you in your seat and prevent you from being smashes in the steering wheel or dashboard if you’re in the front seats , or thrown out of the car. Seatbelts rarely cause any injuries themselves, and if they do, they are usually surface bruses. If you are not restrained, you might be thrown out of the care and injured badly.
You can be driving to the grocery store just around the corner for a crash to happen. Most crashes happen within 40km (25 miles) of home and at speeds less than 60km (40mph).
