The late, Diana, Princess of Wales, lovingly known around the world as "Lady Di," and remembered fondly, left a very serious legacy, among her many legacies. The importance of wearing your seat belt! She gave her very life making that point, so the least that we can do is learn the lesson that she has given us.It is entirely possible that she may have survived, even to lead a normal life. Her bodyguard did, and he was wearing his. I am certain that there is no starker example than that. In many countries of the world it is now an offence if all in the car are not belted up, but getting a ticket is the least of our worries.
Every car is manufactured with safety elements built into its construction. Some are active and others are passive. The active safety elements act to help avoid the accident from happening in the first place, but the driver must be actively involved in making sure that such elements can do their job. The windscreen is there to keep stuff out of the driver's face so as to not distract him, but he must keep it clean so as to have a clear view.
The tyres and brakes have their jobs to do, but it is necessary for the driver to observe the state of the tyres from time-to-time, and to keep them properly inflated.
The car's air-conditioning system is also an active safety element as it keeps the driver cool in the heat of Summer, and comfortably warm in Winter.
The seat belt and the airbag systems are considered to be passive elements because once the seat belt is snapped into place it simply sits there passively awaiting being called upon.
Anything that is not tied down when the car is brought to a sharp stop goes flying, very often out through the windscreen and into traffic. That includes small children not securely strapped in; pets, shopping and sundry other passengers. There have been documented cases where the front seat passengers who were strapped in were killed by rear seat passengers who were not.
The simple act of snapping the seat belt into place securing one's self in can mean the difference of whether you will survive that day or not. Why on earth would we not do that?
Copyright (c) 2007 Eugene Carmichael
