Most people who die in traffic accidents have no access to a car. Moreover, the bulk of the country’s public transport system encourages carnage on the roads. Seatbelt enforcements and child restraints could save lives.
If present trends continue, road traffic injuries will increase dramatically over the next two decades, with the greatest impact falling on the most vulnerable citizens. By 2020 it is predicted that road traffic injuries will kill more people than malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS worldwide.
Seatbelts and child restraints are the most effective features in a vehicle to reduce the severity of injury that results from road traffic crashes. Seatbelts have been found to reduce the probability of being killed by 40 to 50 per cent for drivers and front seat passengers and by about 25 per cent for passengers in rear seats.
Yet, we see workers hanging over the edge of trucks, overcrowded racing buses, and children standing in backseats. Where is the logic in this?
When a crash occurs, a person without a seatbelt continues to move at the same speed at which the vehicle was travelling before the collision. This can cause one to be catapulted in any direction – most likely into the steering wheel if they are driving, or into the back of the seats.
An unrestrained rear seat passenger poses a serious threat to any restrained person seated directly ahead of them. Seatbelted rear seat passengers can therefore reduce the severity of injury to themselves, the driver and passengers in the front seats.
Even worse, an unrestrained passenger can be ejected from the vehicle completely. Being ejected from a vehicle drastically increases the probability of sustaining serious personal injury or being killed, especially in children.
Being ejected safely in a crash is almost impossible. When you’re thrown, it’s common to go through the windshield, be scraped along the pavement, or even crushed by the vehicle. Being securely held by a seatbelt gives you your best chance of not being injured or killed.
Child restraints are highly effective in reducing injuries that occur during crash and non-crash events, such as sudden stops, swerving manoeuvres or a door opening when the vehicle is still moving.
According to the World Health Organisation, “a child up to 4 years of age has a 50 per cent lower risk of injury in a forward-facing child restraint and 80 per cent lower in a rear-facing seat.
For children aged 5 to 9 years, child restraints reduce injury by 52 per cent, whereas for seatbelts alone the reduction is only 19 per cent. For older children aged 10 to 14 years, seatbelts reduce injury by 46 per cent.”
It’s important to note that seatbelts and child restraints are secondary safety measures; though effective, they do not reduce the risks of a crash. Be aware that most crash deaths occur close to home and at low speeds. This emphasizes that everyday transport to a friend’s home, school or the local store poses the greatest crash risk.
Initially people may find seatbelts uncomfortable, confining or inconvenient simply because they’re not used to wearing them. But this in no way compares to the imaginary discomfort or the inconvenience of sustaining a serious injury.
Dr Cory Couillard is an international health columnist that works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and control. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.
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Come on Dominica, why do you think car’s are provided with seat belts, to look at lol, they are there for saving lifes.
1 Seat Belts should be used, also children in baby seats, and booster seats up to 11 years of age.
2. No drinking alchhol when driving at all times, and Dominica you think you ae so free , you even drink at the wheel, think os other people and their families when they are laying dead in the road in front of you.
3, No using mobile phones when driving.
The goverment needs to start driving fines, if the above is not carried out, this will bring money into the country. If you are caught drinking , your driving licence should be taken off you and you will need to resit your test after you have been banned for 12 months. Maybe the driving test should be made harded. MOT yearly check on all cars, buses, bikes etc .Maybe Dominica need to invest in a car park in town to save people using their cars in town, car park can be funded from the capital of parking fines.
Drunk driving , seat belts , illegal parking speeding, those are issues the police department and the laws need to handle those issues , for example if an officer pull a driver over for drunk driving there is no law to prosecute him or her the driver for drunk driving cus it is not on the law book, , the laws need to be implemented.
very true. but take the parros, womiel and bus drivers off the road first. and test vehicles to make sure they are in a condition that they should be on the road. probably three quarters of the accidents in Dominica could be prevented that way.
Signs, defensive driver courses, a point system, a effective ticketing system, barriers, and at least one toll on the road from Portsmouth to Roseau use the proceeds to maintain and improve the road over time. too many four wheeled vehicles in town. Maybe then the roads will be safer.
How good it is when someone with authority speaks about our weakness, or should l say ignorance on our roads. Seatbelts can prevent serious injury, even death, but there is poorly designed roads, our unmannerly people that think that they are on a runway at times, and our sleepy police officers that are afraid to enforce laws most of the time. That is why death and destruction is plaguing us on our roads. To see these stupid drivers talk their way out of these terrible crimes (which it is), is so pathetic that the Doctor can predict the outcome for the next few years. Yes, they walk away with very little concern. What we are seeing more and more is, Dominica’s roads are nothing more than death traps because of bad designs, careless drivers, and small tin cars. Who cares? As long as we get to point A or B. Stiffer laws, with time in jail is the answer here. Why should innocent citizens especially, children have to die because of drivers ignorance, stupidity, and arrogance?
doctor the government will figure it out one day.
The level of ignorance in Dominica is over whelming, when one resides overseas, and go to Dominica it is an automatic reflect/reaction, (SEAT BELT)is a most. Putting on seat belt in Dominica it is a joke you are laughed at, even your own family members..laugh at you…
It goes like this….Whatttt seat belt na? u want people to laugh at you man…we doe do dat in Dominica na…
Ignorance is bliss…that’s a fact…
But safety Law has to be put in place for every ones protection…
That’s so true about them down there but one day….. just one day I hope things will get better.
That’s so true. I feel so awkward when I visit home and im the only one wearing my seat belt. It really should be enforced
@ tdot…You seem to be residing in Toronto….maybe….
Very true love that topic cause I does be very concerned when I see my three year old takin the bus to school goverment hired vehicle and to see seven children on one seat goin to school and they right behind the drivers seat if anything is to happen god alone know what will happen to my kid so I suggest allu really get strict.
You are very correct about this matter. Most fatalities on our roads could have been prevented by the use of one of these devises or equipment: helmet, seatbelts, child seats or child restraints. There is laws encouraging the use with poor to no enforcement. We park on the side walks of the city, block the streets to hold conversations between two vehicles and buses, buses simply do as they please. These infringements and hence, enforcements are great revenue stream for any local government; why not ours?
Every month it is with great pain that I read about an injury on the roads, many of which could have been mitigated with appropriate caution and protective equipment. How many persons have had loved ones taking away perhaps needlessly. For the injured, many many lives have been changed for a lifetime. The costs of health care and loss of use of life and limb are staggering, though unspoken about. Its time for the authorities to implement mandatory seat belts for all front passengers and helmet for motorcycle users. Think of how many dozens of lives and significant injury that could have been saved over the years, had that not been in place. These are the kinds of topics that talk radio should try to have public discussion on and the lawmakers should take the lead on! Lets try to engage in more meaningful dialogue on matters on national health and safety.
This advice is far to sensible to be taken seriously by us Duminicans.
SO TRUE,SEAT BELTS ARE VERY ESSENTIAL OR THE USE OF IT RATHER.I can recall drving my brother’s van on visting home from the UK and I was laugh at when I put on my seat belt.
TRUE,SEAT BELTS ARE IMPORTANT AND ALL TGESE