Car Talk: Buckling Down On Safety

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

So, your vehicle comes equipped with one of many safety features including an automatic seatbelt, which makes buckling up a “no-brainer” and of course both a passenger and driver’s side air bag. With these, among many other high-tech designs to keep you safe behind the wheel, you find yourself hitting the road with confidence.

Well, according to experts, while these features may look fantastic on paper, reality is showing something quite “shocking”.

It now seems that for the first time there is emerging proof that small people (shorter adults and children) as well as tall people may be at serious risk of injury from airbags; at least as per recent research and studies.

The studies suggest that while individuals of “average” or “medium” height (5’ 3” to 5’ 11”) received the intended safety benefits from airbags, these safety devices were actually dangerous to those shorter than 4 feet 11 inches or those taller than 6 feet 3 inches. Ironically, body weight was not a factory in the injury rates, at least according to recent research.

However, some are questioning the findings noting that the study failed to look at data for new and improved airbags, and was therefore an unfair representation of all such devices.

Another part of the study revealed that driving hazards fro women has significantly increased in just the past decade. In fact during the years from 1995 5to 2004, studies shoe that ladies caught up to their male counterparts in risky driving behaviours.

In fact, statistics suggest that while seat belt usage has increased for both genders, the increase was less for women. Also, more and more young ladies are involved in fatal alcohol-related accidents, and ironically that number, statistically speaking is declining for young men.

Furthermore there is also a trend of increased tobacco and drug use among these young(er) females, and many of these (ladies) suffer from depression, and all these factors are affecting and taking a toll on their driving.

And, experts add this is a significant sign that there is a dire need to change the way officials campaign for traffic safety.

Long Island Safety Articles > Car Talk: Buckling Down On Safety