Seat Belts Ensure Safety of All Passengers
Road accidents are the reason behind thousands of fatalities every year in India. About five lakh road accidents occur every year in the country resulting in the death of about eighty thousand people. It accounts for 13% percent of the total fatality related to road accidents all over the world. In fact, the government says a road accident happens every minute in India. Thus, wearing a seat belt is important because it reduces the risk of fatal injuries. Yet, very few people pay heed and wear a seat belt. Front-seat passengers and the person occupying front-facing rear seats must wear seat belts.
Commuters fail to understand that seat belts are for their own safety. It takes only three to five seconds to wear a seat belt. This simple act is the most effective way to prevent death and serious injury during a car accident. Here’s how seat belts ensure the safety of all passengers.
Seat belts ensure the safety of the driver and front-seat passengers
Driver and front-seat passengers suffer the most injuries in an accident. But the simple practice of wearing seat belts reduces the risk of death by 45 percent. It also cuts the risk of serious injury by 50 percent. Unbuckled driver and front-seat passengers get ejected from the vehicle during a crash and suffer fatal injuries. But, seat belts ensure that they don’t get ejected during a crash.
The body of an unbuckled front-seat person moves at the same speed as the vehicle even after the collision. If the person is wearing a seat belt, his/her body slows if the vehicle stops. Seat belts ensure the passengers are stuck close to their seats and do not hit the steering wheel or dashboard.
Driver and front-seat passengers, when not wearing seat belts, are prone to brain injuries in case of an accident. They also carry the risk of injuring their spine. But seat belts make sure you don’t hit your head or injure your spine during a crash.
Benefits of seat belts for middle-rear passengers
Seat belts also ensure the safety of passengers sitting on middle-rear seats. As per research by the World Health Organization, wearing a rear seat belt reduces the risk of fatality by 25 percent. If a rear passenger is not wearing a seat belt, s/he is more likely to collide with the front seat’s backrest. This may cause fatal injuries like whiplash. Using seat belts ensures that the rear passengers do not collide with the front seat. They also prevent the rear passengers from flying out of the windscreen or hitting the dashboard or steering wheel.
Some people complain that seat belts are uncomfortable. It is not true. Seat belts in modern cars do not cause any discomfort or pressure. Some even say they do not have time to wear a seat belt. But it takes three to five seconds to wear seat belts. We must remember seat belts are installed to save our lives in case of an accident.
All passengers, including children, must wear seat belts irrespective of their seating position. Even if it’s a short drive, it is always better to take precautions and wear the seat belt. It also assures the safety of other motorists and pedestrians. Have a safe journey, always.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it mandatory to wear a seat belt in the rear seat?
Yes, passengers occupying front-facing rear seats must wear seat belts.
- My car has airbags. Do I need to wear seat belts?
Yes, you should wear seat belts because airbags are designed to protect buckled passengers.
- Do seat belts trap you in the vehicle during a crash?
In case of a vehicle catching fire or drowning, a buckled passenger may feel trapped. But it does not happen often. In fact, seat belts make sure passengers do not fall unconscious during an accident. It increases their chances of escaping and surviving.
- Are the three-point seat belts better and how?
Yes, the three-point seat belts provide much better protection to the passengers. They evenly spread out the energy of a moving body over the chest, shoulders, and pelvis. This results in fewer injuries during an accident.
- Can pregnant women put on seat belts?
Yes, pregnant women must put on seat belts. But they should not place the lap belt across their belly. They should buckle it under the belly and over the hips. The shoulder strap should be on the middle of your chest and off to the side of the stomach. Never place the shoulder strap under your arm.
