According to Waze, a traffic navigation application, the Philippines, specifically Metro Manila, is one of the most stressful places to drive in. Based on the data from the app, it took 4.9 minutes just to drive a full kilometer last September 2019 which is a significant increase from the record last April which was just 3.8 minutes. Not only does traffic affect the time consumed from the people but it also affects the Philippines’ mortality rate. According to Dr. Gundo Weiler, the WHO Representative in the Philippines, about 12, 000 Filipinos die on the road annually (World Health Organization, 2019). Some of the risk factors include speeding, drinking and driving, and most importantly, the lack of using protective gears such as seat belts.
The Seat Belt Law or the Republic Act 8750 was approved on August 5, 1999 and has been effective since May 1, 2000. With this law, all drivers and passengers of private and public vehicles must use seat belts everytime they are inside the car on any road. In my opinion, this safety protocol is helpful in preventing major damage in case of road accidents. This includes restraining the passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle and lowering the impact from sudden collision (Anderson, 2020). Although seat belts have their advantages, they are not the perfect solution to avoid injury as it may still cause bruising and cuts. Moreover, children are at the highest risk of acquiring seat belt-related injuries; however, it is helpful in preventing sudden death after a crash.
Indeed, seat belts are very important in an individual’s health not only to lessen the impact of the collision but also to prevent major injuries. Personally, our family adheres to this regulation because the Philippines has the worst traffic; however, I do not think most people follow this law especially because the number of deaths from road accidents are still high.
References:
Anderson, K. (2020, July 14). Disadvantages & Advantages of Seat Belts & Airbags. eHow UK. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.ehow.co.uk/list_5929638_disadvantages-advantages-seat-belts-airbags.html
Sanchez, H. (2019, August 9). Republic act 8750 on seat belt law in the philippines: Know it, Follow it. Philkotse.Com. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://philkotse.com/safe-driving/republic-act-8750-on-seat-belt-law-in-the-philippines-know-it-follow-it-5274#:%7E:text=As%20emphasized%20in%20Section%204,streets%2C%20road%2C%20and%20highways.
World Health Organization. (2019, May 10). Road safety leaders commit to reducing road traffic deaths and injuries in the Philippines. Retrieved September 4, 2022, from https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/10-05-2019-road-safety-leaders-commit-to-reducing-road-traffic-deaths-and-injuries-in-the-philippines