Seatbelt Law - Is it worth Enforcing?
Seatbelt Law - Is it worth Enforcing?
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Discussion

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

277 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Do you think that its worth Enforcing the Seabelt Law?

I say yes it is, probably because ive seen first hand what it does to passengers who werent wearing them when involved in a Collision.

It never ceases to amaze me how passengers manage to squeeze out of the smallest of windows and end up on the road.

Its a bit disconcerting when you turn up at a scene and theres one person inside the car and 3 others on the road/pavement. You think, my God, hes killed 3 innocent pedestrians, and its only later that you find out that all 3 were in the car prior to impact.!

deltaf

6,806 posts

275 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Absolutley TC!
However, id like to be able to fit six point harnesses into a road car to secure my frame a little better than a standard belt arrangement without getting greif from the plods!
Otherwise yes, enforce this law vigorously as it WILL most likely save lives.
I know theres folks out there who think they shouldnt have to wear one, but on the whole seat belts save a lot more lives than theyve ever taken.
I see life as a continual game of risk versus action/s but i know full well that without that belt the risk of me impacting with a nice hard windscreen or worse the road, is going to skyrocket.
Fair driver i may be, but its all fun and games till someone loses an eye. Wear them!

>> Edited by deltaf on Sunday 11th April 10:14

Rob_F

4,143 posts

286 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Personally I feel it's up to the individual. I feel that not wearing a seatbelt does not harm anyone else, and the arguments regarding the cost to the NHS are easily dismissed. If this is the case you'd have to put a tax on any dangerous sport.

However, I can also see that enforcing the law does encourage those who don't mind wearing it, but often forget, to wear a seatbelt - and in this way it might very well save lives. Hardly anyone my age doesn't wear a seatbelt. On the other hand, overloaded cars are all to common and the police should keep a look out for this more in my opinion.

But in my dads case, he's never worn a seatbelt, and doubt he ever will. So what's the point in handing out another fine, it's really not going to make a difference.

I support seatbelt campains 100%, but don't think people should be forced to wear a seatbelt. It could also be argued of course that as people feel safer they drive quicker, so counting the number of lives it does or doesn't save is impossible.

Rob.

GreigM

6,740 posts

271 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Absolutely - I think the current adverts with the 3 guys in a car and the pizza is excellent. What worries me is how many drivers let a passenger sit behind them who isn't belted in.....not really any point in the driver belting up either - is there?

TonyOut

582 posts

264 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
I am far too pretty to go through a windscreen thank you, I will wear one by choice.

My mates still take the piss when I am absolutley bladdered getting in a taxi and yet still manage to belt up somehow before passing out


Guy round here recently flung out of an aquaplaning porsche. Report said driver either wasn't wearing a seatbelt, or it failed. The cockpit looked like it could have been a survivable crash.

I would say it's personal choice unless kids are involved.

Rob_F

4,143 posts

286 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
That's one thing I don't understand actually. How does he kill the person infront of him when as far as we can see the drivers chair does not come off it's mounting points or anything? It doesn't seem like the drivers chair moves a great deal, so how could it cause fatal injuries?

I don't disbelieve it though, and anyone who sits behind me belts up!

Rob.

gh0st

4,693 posts

280 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
I always wear one. Doesnt feel right driving without one.

However my colleuge never does as a driver or passenger and whenever he sees a panda car he shits himself and grabs the seatbelt.

I then just ask him :Instead of having a major heart attack whenever you sees a police officer, why dont you just wear the seatbelt.

Reply - Dunno really

Fair enough if you have had a bad experience with a seatbelt and you dont wear it, but if you dont even know why you dont wear one then surely its easier to wear it by default!

safespeed

2,983 posts

296 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
In 1984 when the law was introduced front seat belt wearing jumped from under 20% to 90% overnight.

Yet there isn't even a ripple in the overall fatal or serious injury stats. Why is that?

www.safespeed.org.uk/stats/graphs.html

Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

277 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Cant comment on that, but i do know that over the past 20years of my experience, at least 12 people (that ive dealt with) would have survived if they had been wearing a seatbelt.

I say this because these are 12 people that have departed the vehicle upon impact.....im not talking about people involved in the hundreds of RTA's that ive attended.

safespeed

2,983 posts

296 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
tonyrec said:
Cant comment on that, but i do know that over the past 20years of my experience, at least 12 people (that ive dealt with) would have survived if they had been wearing a seatbelt.


I think the question is really:

Is there a mechanism whereby seatbelts increase accidents to such an extent that the benefit is negated?

Like most, I believe that seatbelts are a good thing, but it would be highly reassuring if there was something - anything - in the figures to suggest lives saved.

Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

266 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
I thought that motor cars first reg after 1.1.65 had to be provided with anchorage points and seat belts but only became compulsory to be worn in 1983? (MV Con and Use Regs)

DVD

safespeed

2,983 posts

296 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Dwight VanDriver said:
I thought that motor cars first reg after 1.1.65 had to be provided with anchorage points and seat belts but only became compulsory to be worn in 1983? (MV Con and Use Regs)
DVD


I don't have it to hand, but I think you're right - the law was introduced late in 1983 and the first full year of the seat belt law was 1984.

Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk

docevi1

10,430 posts

270 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
this thread may be of interest to you then : Steve Cram banned from driving

OUTLAWisBACK

84 posts

262 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
tonyrec said:
Do you think that its worth Enforcing the Seabelt Law?

I say yes it is, probably because ive seen first hand what it does to passengers who werent wearing them when involved in a Collision.

It never ceases to amaze me how passengers manage to squeeze out of the smallest of windows and end up on the road.

Its a bit disconcerting when you turn up at a scene and theres one person inside the car and 3 others on the road/pavement. You think, my God, hes killed 3 innocent pedestrians, and its only later that you find out that all 3 were in the car prior to impact.!


why is it that the BiB and powers at be cannot understand one simple thing

the joe public dose not want to be ordeded around and told what to do.


cars have seat belts. joe public has a free mind

and sould have the freedome to decide for there self to wear it or not

not have some plonkers hading out tickets if they dont.
A QUESTION DIRECTED AT THE BIBS NOW


OF ALL THE INCIDENT YOU HAVE ATENDENT

HOW MANY PASSANGER HAVE YOU FLY TROW A WINDOW

AND MORE TO THE POINT

HOW MANY DRIVERS HAVE YOU SEEN GO TROW THE WINDOW.
when not wearing belts







flat_steve

1,535 posts

269 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Wearing seatbelts is very much like wearing sunscreen - the benefits have been amply proven. Anyway it stands to reason that it's better to be tethered to an anchor point within your car than bouncing around like a pinball in an accident!

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

277 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
OUTLAWisBACK said:


why is it that the BiB and powers at be cannot understand one simple thing

the joe public dose not want to be ordeded around and told what to do.


cars have seat belts. joe public has a free mind

and sould have the freedome to decide for there self to wear it or not

not have some plonkers hading out tickets if they dont.
A QUESTION DIRECTED AT THE BIBS NOW


OF ALL THE INCIDENT YOU HAVE ATENDENT

HOW MANY PASSANGER HAVE YOU FLY TROW A WINDOW

AND MORE TO THE POINT

HOW MANY DRIVERS HAVE YOU SEEN GO TROW THE WINDOW.
when not wearing belts




Read my original post.....you will find the answers there.

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

277 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
OUTLAWisBACK said:



not have some plonkers hading out tickets if they dont.




You got it wrong...its the plonkers that are not wearing a Seat Belt to start with.

Pies

13,116 posts

278 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
CARZEE!!!!!

malin

30 posts

263 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
Rob_F said:
That's one thing I don't understand actually. How does he kill the person infront of him when as far as we can see the drivers chair does not come off it's mounting points or anything? It doesn't seem like the drivers chair moves a great deal, so how could it cause fatal injuries?

Rob.


People and seatbelts are frighteningly flexible under crash conditions. I've seen a bent steering wheel, bent by the head of the driver. He hit the side of a lorry, when he was doing about 40mph. His seatbelt saved his life. (as well as the brakes that slowed him from 70mph and the crumple zone / passenger cell)

Some equipment from the boot had flattend the rear seat and ended up in the passenger footwell.

If you are in a frontal accident, your seatbelt will not keep you tightly in place. You will be futher forward, and you may be to one side, of normal diving position. An unbelted rear passenger can easily get past the front seats, and as the people in the front won't be in the normal driving position, they can easily be hit. Hard.

cptsideways

13,811 posts

274 months

Sunday 11th April 2004
quotequote all
My brother was thrown out of his classic beetle after a T bone accident. Plod found him out cold 100 yards from car. Very lucky to still be here, accident not his fault either.