Historically, seat belts have been used to keep pilots in their gliders in place since the 1800s. It was not until the mid-1930s when car manufacturers began creating seatbelts as part of the vehicles after it was used in 1885 to keep passengers safe inside taxis in New York. According to the NHTSA, seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45% and serious injury by 50% as they keep drivers and passengers from being ejected during collisions. Greater chances of ejection happen when drivers and passengers alike refuse to wear seatbelts. In fact, 3 out of 4 people ejected during vehicular accidents die due to their acquired injuries.
Not only do seatbelts reduce car crash impact, but they also protect your brain and spine as a single impact on the organs poses serious damage. In essence, seat belts secure yourself in place during trips and prevent ejection.
With the given advantages backed by research, some disadvantages still arise especially when seatbelts increase the risk-taking behaviors of some drivers. In turn, these may cause more road accidents. Other drivers also feel uncomfortable wearing seatbelts.
The Philippines already has an existing policy mandating the installation and use of adult seat belts in the front and rear seats of any private motor vehicle. Republic Act 8750, also known as the "Seat Belts Use Act of 1999” was approved by Congress on August 5 of the same year. However, the Manila Times’ dubbed the republic act as the “most violated traffic law in the country”. With the law and with the increasing number of adult drivers traversing the roads, along with the supporting research that seatbelts are effective to prevent car-related accidents, I believe that the law must be more strictly enforced. I believe that most drives follow the law, but I also see the need to have a more stern implementation to reduce vehicular accidents.
REFERENCES:
Baroña, J. F. C. (2022, August 24). LTO reinforces use of seatbelts in PUVs, warns violators. The Manila Times. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/08/24/latest-stories/lto-reinforces-use-of-seatbelts-in-puvs-warns-violators/1855809
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, January 3). Policy Impact: Seat Belts | Transportation Safety | Injury Center | CDC. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/seatbeltbrief/index.html#:%7E:text=Among%20drivers%20and%20front%2Dseat,of%20serious%20injury%20by%2050%25.&text=Seat%20belts%20prevent%20drivers%20and,a%20vehicle%20during%20a%20crash.
Driving, D. (2016, September 15). A History of Seat Belts. Defensive Driving. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.defensivedriving.com/blog/a-history-of-seat-belts/#:%7E:text=The%20seat%20belt%20was%20invented,taxis%20in%20New%20York%20City.
Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 (Phil).