VIDEO: Why wearing the rear seat belt is a must!

If you’ve had difficulty convincing others (or yourself) that buckling up in the back seat is a good idea, beyond just obeying the law, check out this in-car video of crash test dummies in a simulation. Four out of five people do without wearing a seat belt in the back seat, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the US. In Malaysia, it’s down to just 7-9% says MIROS, which is among the lowest in South East Asia based on World Health Organization’s (WHO) findings.

“For most adults, it’s still as safe to ride in the back seat as the front seat, but not if you aren’t buckled up,” said Jessica Jermakian, senior engineer at the IIHS. In a study in the US, Adults aged 18 and above were surveyed between June and August last year, and of the 1,172 respondents, 91% said they used seat belts when seated in front, while only 72% said they buckled up at the back.

“People who don’t use safety belts might think their neglect won’t hurt anyone else. That’s not the case. In the rear seat a lap/shoulder belt is the primary means of protection in a frontal crash. Without it, bodies can hit hard surfaces or other people at full speed, leading to serious injuries,” Jermakian added.

Drivers are twice as likely to be killed in crashes when the occupant behind them is unrestrained. In the United States, rear seat passengers are covered by law in 29 states. Here in Malaysia, rear seat belt use has been compulsory nationwide since 2008, but sadly, the compliance rate has come down from 47% in early 2009 to just 7-9% in 2015. Worse still, the use of rear seat belts among Malaysians are said to be driven more on the fear of being fined as opposed to anything else.

It’s a message that bears repeating – buckle up, whenever you’re about to travel in a car, no matter how short a distance.

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • BAH! Basher says if u drive carefully, u dun even need seatbelts much less multiple airbags in cars. All that matter is light body to ‘tiong’ at high speed and FC like kapcai.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 3
    • wayang on Aug 09, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Bah!Blind believers says u need 20 airbags, VSC, ABS EBD, BA so you can tiong nearer and drive more than 100kmh when theres water puddles on the road. The over the top airbags numbers and all the safety acronyms can safe you.
      So tiong nearer and drive faster when there are water. No Fear

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 10
      • So why do u buy life insurance when u dun intend to use it?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
        • wayang on Aug 09, 2017 at 5:20 pm

          Did your insurance agent tell you to buy 1 or 2 insurance you will die and you need 20 insurance policies?
          Did your insurance agent meet you each time and tell you looks 2 is not enough you need another one and keep on pilling policies for you?
          Did your insurance agents tell you to buy 10 insurance policies and ask you to smoke 3-4 packs of cigarettes a day ?

          Yup thats the problem with blind believers who keep asking for airbags count to increase while forgetting that driving safely and defensively is better than having 20 airbags with all sort of safety acronyms

          Driving safely is a prevention, and 20 airbags + all those safety acronyms is the last resort. Not the other way round.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
          • While driving safely is a priority, u mean u dun need all that safety tech, huh? Do u still think its unnecessary when a car comes into ur lane and head on collides? Or a side impact collision thats almost difficult to avoid?

            As I said b4, safety tech in car is like life insurance. The more tech (policies) it has, the more protection (coverage) u will get. And of cuz u dun PLAN to use it, but u be glad that u have it when u NEED it. Dun u agree?

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 0
    • Sam Kuntaik Loo on Aug 10, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      BAH! ‘T’ hardcore supporter and salesperson says u dun need multiple airbags (just 2 is enough), VSC, Hot Press Foaming, Sensing Suite, etc. in cars. All that matter is ‘RV’ first and then light body to ‘tiong’ at high speed and FC like kapcai (their beloved godcar is one of the example).

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Why can’t frond seats be made sturdy that they absorb rear passengers’ impact while not hurting front ones?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 15
    • kzm (Member) on Aug 09, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      u mean make seat that cannot be adjust?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • unker on Aug 09, 2017 at 1:31 pm

      why can’t you just take MRT?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 1
    • 4G63T DSM on Aug 09, 2017 at 4:43 pm

      Lets see how many hours you can sit in my race bucket seat before calling for mommy.

      Even then, the bolts that hold the seat in place isn’t strong enough to hold the seat when something as heavy as a human slamming into it. We still need the seatbelt, mounted on 5 to 6 points on the roll cage and chassis to secure the driver.

      Even then, we need a HANS device to keep the drivers neck from injury….what more a flying rear seat passenger.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • Bernard on Aug 09, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    This kind of messages doesn’t resonate with the majority of msians but can keep on trying. Maybe in twenty years , some might wear…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
    • 20 years? Not even close when we have these pipu (Google “dont-be-too-hard-on-those-who-fail-to-use-seat-belt/”)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • 12yrsold on Aug 09, 2017 at 3:55 pm

        Really 20 yrs??! Wow. You sound like you are the only smart Malaysian while the rest of us who use the seat belts are stupid.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 7
        • Well with mentality of pipu like u, we probably need 30 years to educate all pipu to use seatbelts.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
  • It is sad that in every time seat belt topic; people are always focus on law and enforcement. Apparently money is more important than lives to most Malaysians.

    I always refuse to start driving until everyone buckled up properly but almost always gonna be made fun off @_@

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
  • Jimmy on Aug 09, 2017 at 4:55 pm

    In the few high profile crashes where the victim(s) are thrown out of the car, no one or jury were reported to have asked if the victims properly secured themselves and their loved one(s) in the car (by means of a proper carseat) when the crash happens. This is important as it may mean the accused are could be sued just for driving negligent or negligent leads death which in turn decides if the accused are being given a fair sentence later.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Jimmy on Aug 09, 2017 at 10:53 pm

      1. Please use a different name.
      2. Every one wants 20 safe airbags if cost is not an issue. Cost is always an issue, always.
      3. You think 20 is a figure simply plucked from the sky? Think about it.
      4. John sometimes talks sense, and you can see when he does so, there are thumbs up and few arguements.
      5. Personally I don’t like political cybertroopers.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • My thumbs up/down is irrelevant & meaningless, as I irked lotsa blind bashers when I correct them, particularly a certain person who seems to be away for a while (hint hint, busy with a certain one-make event in penang maybe?).

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Richard on Aug 09, 2017 at 9:03 pm

    One police officer told me they don’t wear seat belt while driving to be flexible in fighting crime ! Go figure

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Not just polis, bomba too as well. They need to respond as soon as possible so seatbelts r secondary to them. But they fully aware of the risk involved and take full responsibility when things happen. Can u say the same for urself & ur famili if u tried that?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • ex-VGM staff on Aug 10, 2017 at 12:54 pm

    Good to out the photos on billboard. Or the video at bkt bintang interchange screen

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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