Speed x Weight = Buckle Up. WSR #8

It's the eighth Weekly Safety Reminder, and many of us thought we were done with this one, but I guess not.

Over the past few weeks it seems like we've had a rash of traffic crashes where someone ended up being spewed out of the vehicle. Out of the vehicle is a very bad place to be during a crash. The modern vehicle is built to be a crash absorbing and occupant protecting marvel. Unfortunately, it can only protect the occupant if they remain inside the vehicle. This is accomplished by simply wearing a seat belt. Seems simple enough, but everyone still doesn't seem to be convinced.

The real tragedy here is that some people were killed as a result of traffic crashes recently even though they didn't do any of the crashing themselves. They were passengers in vehicles driven by drunk drivers or hit by stop sign runners. It appears that those killed ended up being tossed and left to end their lives in the unforgiving world outside of the vehicle.

How does a 150 pound human get pulled from their own grip and tossed so violently against their will? Here is a simple equation that we teach in Child Passenger Safety Class: Speed x weight = approximate restraining force. So, our 150 pound human going 45 mph ends up with a relative weight of 6,750 pounds to hold back. Humans can't do that, but seat belts can. Next time you let someone sit unbelted in your back seat imagine yourself being held in place by your seat belt, but your passengers smacking into you with over 6,000 pounds of force.

It's simple, it's physics, it's an unnecessary risk, it's an easily avoidable tragedy. It's time to agree to have everyone (pets included) buckle up.

Be safe.