Life is the most precious thing on earth. To live long we not only have to eat well and exercise but also follow some necessary rules of safety. Wearing a seat belt while driving a car is one of them. A lot of people ignore this thinking its just a belt that it’s incapable of saving a life. For those of you who are still under than misconception let me tell you that it is much more than just a belt. It demands urgent attention because death caused by accidents ranks third after cancers and heart disease.
You will be surprised to know that wearing a seat belt can reduce crash injuries up to 50 percent. Now that’s not something you can ignore. Realizing this use of seat belts increased to 84 percent in 2010 in comparison to 69 percent in 1999.
This realization saved 69,000 lives between 2006 and 2010. I guess we should learn a lesson from this. If this is not proof enough for you I will show you the negative side of the issue. You will see the importance of the driver wearing the seat belt. According to a survey, 63 percent of children under the age of four were unrestrained because the driver didn’t wear his seat belt.
On the other hand, a sensible driver with a Seat Belt managed to have 75 percent of the children well restrained. You also need to know that you don’t need to go on a highway to wear a seat belt. In fact, most life-threatening accidents occur within 25 miles of your home. Even at a speed less than 40 mph. So don’t wait to go on a long drive! Now let us explore the mechanism of the seat belt.
The primary object of the seat belt is to protect you from hitting yourself to the dashboard or the windshield. This will prevent you from banging yourself due to inertia. The lap belt and the shoulder belt are placed across the pelvis and the rib cage as they are more delicate than other parts of the human body. The webbing of your seat belt is made flexible so you don’t stop suddenly. They are made in such a way that they can extend and retract.
This makes it become tighter to hold you at a time of crisis. One thing you must avoid is putting the seat belt behind your back or under your arm. This will not serve the purpose. The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration has clearly instructed us on the correct way of wearing a seat belt. The first thing on the list is to pull the belt across the middle of your chest and taking it near your hip from under your stomach.
I have some more things to add to your to–do list. When you buy new care make sure the seat belt fits correctly. If it doesn’t, get help from your dealer to set it right. Call your car manufacturer if needed. If your someone who likes to drive a car of an old model, make sure you get the safety that is available in the new ones.
Usually, it is the teens, men in rural areas, pick-up drivers, drivers at night, and drunken drivers who at a higher risk because these are the ones who avoid wearing seat belts. If you love and value your life wear a seat belt and don’t let any truck passing by take it away! So do you promise to wear a seat belt each time you drive?