Thursday, July 12, 2007

Article Review : Hidden Dangers in Your Car

Very eye opening article featured in this month’s Reader’s Digest. It discussed about the importance of securing every item and person in your car when you travel. This is because when you are involved in an accident and your car brakes suddenly, every unsecured objects ( including humans ) would become projectile, fly at a high speed and could be deadly to you.

What Malaysians are practising is only passengers sitting in the front seat would be safely belted. Even that is a hit and miss. We never consider unbelted passengers behind and stuffs on the backseat floor that can fly if not restrained. All these are hidden dangers.

One guy put his credit card on his dashboard. When his car stopped on impact it flew and cut his throat. A measly credit card, kay ? Luckily the cut was not deep enough to be fatal. Another guy although survived when his car collided with another car, was killed by his tool box when it flew and hit him on the head, hard.

A team analyzing car crashes concluded that risk of death for belted front passengers rose 20% higher when there are unrestrained passengers behind. Whereas you have 120% higher chances of surviving the crash when your passengers put on their seat belts. Logic really, the front passengers became the back passengers’ airbags. You actually have to brace yourself from impacts internally when you’re involved in an accident.

MPV owners are more at risk because their cargo area is not separated from the main body of the car. Prams and whatnots that you stow there can potentially hit you or your children when accidents happen. Therefore they suggest getting a cargo divider, a gate that separates the cargo area from the passengers.

One lady luckily heeded that particular advise. Her car hit a curb and was forcefully stopped but when she looked behind, her son was not even bruised because the stuffs she had in her cargo; prams, first aid kit, can of food and auto supplies slammed on the cargo divider instead of her son.
Be aware. Be safe.

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