Seatbelts Saves Lives but are still Underused

Time and again different safety system and rules are being implemented in Nepal which have significantly lowered the severity of injury in the case of vehicle crash. Speed limit, use of Safety belts and helmets, restriction on drinking and driving and rules on using mobile phones while driving are some of the safety systems that are being implemented now and then. Its been proven that implementation of such systems have great benefit on reducing the fatality and injury in the case of accidents yet a number of people are still not putting it to use.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), Speeding, Drink Driving, Distracted Driving, seatbelts & child restraints and motorcycle helmets are the top five risk factors for the traffic collision worldwide and Seatbelt alone can reduce the road fatalities among front seat passenger by 40-50% and rear seat passenger by 25-75%.

When you are travelling in a car, your body is moving in the same speed as that of the car. A car accident may stop your car but it doesn’t stop your body which still has forward momentum (law of inertia you know). Without anything to hold you in place, your body would go flying forward while your car stopped. This could cause you to fly out of the car or collide with parts of car. A seat belt holds your body in palce during a car accident.

In most cases wearing a seatbelt prevents ejection from the vehicle. Wearing a seat belt minimizes the body’s contact with the interior of the vehicle resulting in fewer injuries. Seatbelts spread the force of impact over larger parts of the body reducing severity of injuries. Average medical cost for belted driver is found to be 60% less than for the unbelted drivers.

Airbags are designed to help keep you in place, along with your seat belt. If you are not wearing a seatbelt then airbag system is inefficient.

When a car crashes with a passenger in the back of seat who isn’t using a seat belt, the unbelted rear seat passenger can slam into the driver seat, pushing the driver into the airbag and steering wheel with a 35 miles per hour impact, says the insurance institute for highway safety. Those rear passenger can act as a human missiles in a crash.

From this data we can clearly see the importance of wearing a seat belt while driving not only by the driver but by the passengers too.

According to amended Motor vehicles and Transport Management Act of 1993, not wearing seatbelt is considered a severe offence and is charged upto Rs. 1500 for breaking the rule. But still we find most of the riders not wearing seat belt. We as a citizen ourselves can contribute to promote the use of seatbelt by buckling yourself and your loved ones up.