Seatbelts, why don't everyone use them?

saabsaab

For many years now wearing seatbelts have saved lives. Why then do many people not use them? Either in front or back seats.


One excuse was I don't want to be trapped in the car in an accident but if you don't wear one you may well be dead anyway! So makes no sense to me.

Lyan

I find they are rather passé.

Breakerz

The same reason people use phones while driving, they're dangerous idiots.

Atlantic Dawn

Suicide drivers generally don't wear them.

saabsaab

Breakerz wrote: »

The same reason people use phones while driving, they're dangerous idiots.

Although stupid I can see how a person would answer a phone but some non seatbelt drivers go out of their way to fool the warning chime or lights fit some override or turn it off. One even had the belt across the shoulder to fool the Gardai but not connected up!

Spanish Eyes

Seatbelts all worn in this car out of habit, but if not, the constant beeps and alerts would make you do it anyway.

No doubt some smart alek has figured out a way to stop it, but I'm happy enough to have it beeping (for the rare idiots that are random passengers I give a lift to, and will always be rebels).

punisher5112

Don't even notice putting it on or notice it's on as it's pure habit.

Taxi drivers use to be exempt and certain medical conditions allow as pregnancy also.

Frynge

If someone your love doesn't always wear a seatbelt, try and get a fireman to explain some of what they have seen.

saabsaab

punisher5112 wrote: »

Don't even notice putting it on or notice it's on as it's pure habit.

Taxi drivers use to be exempt and certain medical conditions allow as pregnancy also.

The ones I am talking about aren't exempt categories these are langer dans.

punisher5112

saabsaab wrote: »

The ones I am talking about aren't exempt categories these are langer dans.

Organ donor, we do need them.

L-M

There’s a really good chapter in a book called Freakonomics about seat belts.

Edit I think it’s in the second book Super Freakonomics

Abba987

punisher5112 wrote: »

Don't even notice putting it on or notice it's on as it's pure habit.

Taxi drivers use to be exempt and certain medical conditions allow as pregnancy also.

Madness is that still the case ??

4068ac1elhodqr

The only question is why car makers don't use the double seatbelt.
Those fancy rally driver style ones, to prevent extended whiplash, and one sided spinal twisting.

As far as not wearing them, take a look at any international road safety advert of the last 30yrs or so for a demonstration of Newtons laws of motion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epTdI-9V6Jk

dsmythy

Some women find them very uncomfortable. No excuse but it is one given reason. Could be fixed with a different style of belt I don't know.

punisher5112

dsmythy wrote: »

Some women find them very uncomfortable. No excuse but it is one given reason. Could be fixed with a different style of belt I don't know.

Pink fluffy one?

Doctors room ghost

Wesley Faint Bear wrote: »

The only question is why car makers don't use the double seatbelt.
Those fancy rally driver style ones, to prevent extended whiplash, and one sided spinal twisting.

As far as not wearing them, take a look at any international road safety advert of the last 30yrs or so for a demonstration of Newtons laws of motion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epTdI-9V6Jk

The rally harness are strapped to the roll cage.there would be nowhere in a road car to strap them where they wouldn’t be in the way.plus you’d need bucket seats for the harnesses to go through and you would be constantly adjusting them to suit different drivers.
The belts we have are fine

Wibbs

Plus if some retarded morons won't wear normal seatbelts, good luck in getting them to wear a five point harness. Though TBH I don't know anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt.

Chris_Heilong

I think very few dont use them, The only people who I have seen not wearing them are foreign nationals who are not used to wearing them back home and have just not gotten used to doing things different here, usually passengers and usually they catch on very quickly.

Doctors room ghost

Wibbs wrote: »

Plus if some retarded morons won't wear normal seatbelts, good luck in getting them to wear a five point harness. Though TBH I don't know anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt.

Very true especially since car manufacturers fitted the dreaded beeper that stays pinging until you put on the belt.
2 seconds to click a belt or else risk ending up dead or badly injured.fairly easy decision

Pauliedragon

saabsaab wrote: »

For many years now wearing seatbelts have saved lives. Why then do many people not use them? Either in front or back seats.


One excuse was I don't want to be trapped in the car in an accident but if you don't wear one you may well be dead anyway! So makes no sense to me.

Why do people drink and drive/speed/ignore lights etc. Some people are just idiots. That's life unfortunately.

Stark

Wibbs wrote: »

Plus if some retarded morons won't wear normal seatbelts, good luck in getting them to wear a five point harness. Though TBH I don't know anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt.

Unfortunately the myth that "you don't need to wear a seatbelt when you're in the back" is rampant. More often or not if I give a lift to someone and I remember to check, I'll find them not wearing seatbelt in the back. Alas, most of the time I do forget to check. Will probably find out one of these days when a moron goes through the back of my head.

punisher5112

I don't wear a seatbelt driving the bus as we don't have one fitted.
Tractor would be another and of course motorbike.

Stark

punisher5112 wrote: »

I don't wear a seatbelt driving the bus as we don't have one fitted.
Tractor would be another and of course motorbike.

Can't argue with riding a motorbike when it comes to being safe!

dsmythy

punisher5112 wrote: »

Pink fluffy one?

Ha who knows sure! But not all breasts agree with seat belts so you'll find some women either not wearing them or only having them around their waist. Overweight men probably too....

Wibbs

Wibbs wrote: »

Though TBH I don't know anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt.

I honestly can't remember the last time I was in the car with someone without a belt on.

I used to know a fella who did the odd thing of starting to drive and then put his belt on. Habit I suppose.

zilog_jones

Deleted User wrote: »

I used to know a fella who did the odd thing of starting to drive and then put his belt on. Habit I suppose.

I still encounter this a lot, especially with people over 50 or so. And not wearing belts in the back, it drives me mad. Luckily my current car tells me who has their belts on

Doctors room ghost

Stark wrote: »

Can't argue with riding a motorbike when it comes to being safe!

Temporarys they are called in Brisbane

Irish_peppa

I remember when I first started driving at 17 i was like ohh my god no belts are so lame :rolleyes:

No in 40s I actually feel weird not having it on when in the car like im naked or something.:D

slave1

Some people just don't give a s**t

newmember2

Seatbelts, Indicators, why don't everyone use them?

mikeecho

I never wear a seat belt when in the rear seats. Or on a bus .

It's just something I grew up with in the 70's and I can't shake.

Back in the days when we didn't have rear seatbelts, we didn't have child seats, and it was common to have 6 to 8 kids bouncing around in the rear seat of a citrone CX (with a puddle of water in the foot well) and 2 kids in the front.. and I presume an adult in the drivers seat..


I also remember a time when the family car was a van. Mum and dad up front, and 5 kids in the back of a van in cushions.

That's what was done back in the 80's

Good times

punisher5112

My megane tells me how many belts are on in the rear, beeps if fronts aren't fitted.

Atlantic Dawn

Irish_peppa wrote: »

I remember when I first started driving at 17 i was like ohh my god no belts are so lame :rolleyes:

No in 40s I actually feel weird not having it on when in the car like im naked or something.:D

Clunk click every trip as the late James Wilson Vincent Savile would say...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6iynaLC5sY

mikeecho

punisher5112 wrote: »

My megane tells me how many belts are on in the rear, beeps if fronts aren't fitted.

I don't care if anyone wears their seatbelts or not . The beeping does bother me, bit it generally stops after 3 min

punisher5112

mikeecho wrote: »

I don't care if anyone wears their seatbelts or not . The beeping does bother me, bit it generally stops after 3 min

Mine gets louder and more intense..... Not like the wife though....

mikeecho

punisher5112 wrote: »

Mine gets louder and more intense..... Not like the wife though....

It'll stop.. believe me, they eventually stop.
If not , with a ford there is a code to tiring it off
Usually turn key to on, and lock unlock seatbelt a number of times . Use Google.

With Toyota , BMW, and Hyundai, they give up with the beeps after about 3 min.

I'll give the Kia a try during the week

punisher5112

mikeecho wrote: »

It'll stop.. believe me, they eventually stop.
If not , with a ford there is a code to tiring it off
Usually turn key to on, and lock unlock seatbelt a number of times . Use Google.

With Toyota , BMW, and Hyundai, they give up with the beeps after about 3 min.

I'll give the Kia a try during the week

Airbags should deploy after 3 minutes ;-)

I have to admit that since the seat belt warning beep stopped working a few years ago I have got into the habit of not bothering with the seat belt on short spins to the shop, petrol station etc (all within 2 or 3km of the house). It’s all slow roads and it just feels like hassle putting it on only to take it off 3 mins later. I always been a person who puts on the seat belt a minute or two after driving off too, don’t know why but just habit.

punisher5112

Gage Jolly Seesaw wrote: »

I have to admit that since the seat belt warning beep stopped working a few years ago I have got into the habit of not bothering with the seat belt on short spins to the shop, petrol station etc (all within 2 or 3km of the house). It’s all slow roads and it just feels like hassle putting it on only to take it off 3 mins later. I always been a person who puts on the seat belt a minute or two after driving off too, don’t know why but just habit.

Near the home is statistically the most dangerous.

Just because you're slow doesn't mean I am when I crash into you....

Irish_peppa

Gage Jolly Seesaw wrote: »

I have to admit that since the seat belt warning beep stopped working a few years ago I have got into the habit of not bothering with the seat belt on short spins to the shop, petrol station etc (all within 2 or 3km of the house). It’s all slow roads and it just feels like hassle putting it on only to take it off 3 mins later. I always been a person who puts on the seat belt a minute or two after driving off too, don’t know why but just habit.

Same thing on my car when the reminder beep was working it actually got me in the habit of putting on belt. For some weird reason it stopped beeping. I actually want to get it repaired when I have the money as the odd time i forgot it the reminder was great

tuxy

The same probably don't even bother with a helmet while driving.

AndrewJRenko

Gage Jolly Seesaw wrote: »

I have to admit that since the seat belt warning beep stopped working a few years ago I have got into the habit of not bothering with the seat belt on short spins to the shop, petrol station etc (all within 2 or 3km of the house). It’s all slow roads and it just feels like hassle putting it on only to take it off 3 mins later. I always been a person who puts on the seat belt a minute or two after driving off too, don’t know why but just habit.

What are 'slow roads'? Do you mean the roads where drivers are supposed to drive slowly but often don't?



Honestly, this is insane.

DaveyDave

Putting a seat belt on has to be one of the least difficult things to do. It's pure muscle memory. Saying things like it's a slow road or only 2km to the shop is just mind boggling, I couldn't do it. Turning it off in software? Madness.

Only time I'll ever not wear it is when I'm swapping cars in the drive way or after I swipe the car park gate at work.

If any of my passengers didn't have it on I'd kick them out.

saabsaab

DaveyDave wrote: »

Putting a seat belt on has to be one of the least difficult things to do. It's pure muscle memory. Saying things like it's a slow road or only 2km to the shop is just mind boggling, I couldn't do it. Turning it off in software? Madness.

Only time I'll ever not wear it is when I'm swapping cars in the drive way or after I swipe the car park gate at work.

If any of my passengers didn't have it on I'd kick them out.

I think you're right. No valid excuse.

kirving

I live at the end of a cul de sac and sometimes have to move two cars to get mine out if it's blocked in, but still find myself with the belt on each time.

My car's sealbelt gives a reassuring hug every time I put it on, and will pre tension it and move my seat upright if I brake extremely hard.

It's not until you feel the belt throw you back in the seat preemptively (whereas most wait until the crash happens), that you realise how valuable they are.

punisher5112

I was in a Toyota Prius taxi before Christmas and couldn't honestly get the seat belt over my shoulder.

Find fords can be very tight too.

I wouldn't even think and just put belt on never any thoughts of will I or won't I.

User1998

There is still a stigma around asking people to put their belts on, especially with younger people. The RSA have an add for it at the moment. I know if someone got in my car and didn’t put their belt on in the back I’d be too embarrassed to ask them to put it on. But its their choice really, if there over 17 its them who gets a fine if there caught, not me.
The front is a different story with the noise it makes, and obviously with children I’d always make sure they have their belt on.

A lot of young people think its cool to not wear a seat belt, same way a lot of them still think its cool to smoke, do drugs etc. There’s something about putting your health at risk that still appeals to young people trying to show off. Not wearing a helmet when they go on their scramblers, not wearing a seat belt, not taking medicine when there sick.. its all just apart of that stigma around young men I suppose.

kaahooters

User1998 wrote: »

There is still a stigma around asking people to put their belts on, especially with younger people. The RSA have an add for it at the moment. I know if someone got in my car and didn’t put their belt on in the back I’d be too embarrassed to ask them to put it on. But its their choice really, if there over 17 its them who gets a fine if there caught, not me.
The front is a different story with the noise it makes, and obviously with children I’d always make sure they have their belt on.

A lot of young people think its cool to not wear a seat belt, same way a lot of them still think its cool to smoke, do drugs etc. There’s something about putting your health at risk that still appeals to young people trying to show off. Not wearing a helmet when they go on their scramblers, not wearing a seat belt, not taking medicine when there sick.. its all just apart of that stigma around young men I suppose.

you do know that in a crash with out a seat belt, that passenger will bounce around the cabin like a super bounce ball, and more likely kill someone else in the car as they are themselves.

Anjobe

OSI wrote: »

It's not really. You get in a 50km/h crash and they'll be plowing in to your back and head with the equivalent force of 10-20 tons. Have fun trying to walk after that.

kaahooters wrote: »

you do know that in a crash with out a seat belt, that passenger will bounce around the cabin like a super bounce ball, and more likely kill someone else in the car as they are themselves.

Quite so, no one rides in my car, front or back without their seat belt on, no one.

youtheman

When my kids were small (they are in their 20s now) they used to get annoyed with me if I drove out of the driveway before they had a chance to fasten their seatbelts. They are the generation where all cars had seatbelts in the front and back, they got used to wearing them, and mine at least have some associations with some bad karma if they don't wear them (and honestly I can't remember having to lecture them). Hopefully they will pass it onto the next generation.

Wibbs

User1998 wrote: »

A lot of young people think its cool to not wear a seat belt, same way a lot of them still think its cool to smoke, do drugs etc. There’s something about putting your health at risk that still appeals to young people trying to show off. Not wearing a helmet when they go on their scramblers, not wearing a seat belt, not taking medicine when there sick.. its all just apart of that stigma around young men I suppose.

Being young tends to mean more willing to take risks. Which is a good thing, except in cases like this. Old farts tend to be much more risk averse.