Why Don't We All Buckle Up Our Children?
Our children are our pride and joy. We protect our children. We would do anything for our children. We teach them to be wary of strangers, be careful crossing the road etc…
So why do so many drivers in Singapore not buckle up their children? Ironically Mum and Dad are often sitting in the front with their seat belts on so clearly the parents recognise the risk of not wearing the seatbelts. But in the back seat the kids are roving around free and easy. So when an accident happens they will fly out of the car as if they were sitting inside a catapult. The consequences are just horrific.
In Singapore the rule of law is strong and respected. It is the law that children are buckled up. We would never dream of breaking the law in any other aspect of our lives so why do many drivers not buckle their children?
Sometimes the reason given is that it is difficult to get the children to sit still in the car. The children protest and so as to prevent a big drama parents let the kids go unbuckled. I find this argument very weak. My kids have got me pretty much wrapped around their little fingers but I can still get them to wear their seatbelts.
Why don’t we all buckle up our children? It is a mystery to me ….
Most drivers and passengers killed in crashes are unrestrained. Seat belts dramatically reduce risk of death and serious injury. Among drivers and front-seat passengers, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45%, and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%.
Seat belts prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected during a crash. People not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash. More than 3 out of 4 people who are ejected during a crash die from their injuries.
Information taken from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
