05-Oct-2007
Seat Belts: Why do we not care outside our own car?
I have just returned from a trip to the States which involved a couple of hotel stays and trips to my company sites.
It is absolutely drummed into us that personal safety is paramount and we have "Golden Rules" covering wearing of seat belts in road vehicles.
On a hotel courtesy shuttle in the Naperville area of Ohio, I learned that a fellow passenger was a work colleague in another part of our Group. When I pointed out that she should know better from her safety indoctrination and company safety culture that she should have fitted her seat beltbefore moving off, I was told in a matter of a fact way that "I like to take a risk" and there was no attempt to wear the available seat belt.
To be frank, I was dumbstruck at the response and didn't challenge further, but her laissez-faire attitude could have put the driver of the shuttle at risk (she was sat immediately behind him) and I suppose me too if we were side-swiped as I was sat alongside her.
What amazes me is that we have a near 100% take-up of seat belt wear when we are in our own cars yet everyone thinks that they are above average skilled drivers and presumably safer than average (obviously something is wong when greater than 65% of us think that we are above average), yet we don't think it that important to wear seat belts when travelling in other public transport with a driver of unknown skills.
Come on folks, if we all truly believe that we are above average drivers, then you have to accept that statistically we are getting into vehicles driven by below average drivers.
So.... belt up....and shut up!! Put your seat belt on when you are challenged without being a smart Alec (or Alexa) and putting fellow passenger's lives in danger.
It is absolutely drummed into us that personal safety is paramount and we have "Golden Rules" covering wearing of seat belts in road vehicles.
On a hotel courtesy shuttle in the Naperville area of Ohio, I learned that a fellow passenger was a work colleague in another part of our Group. When I pointed out that she should know better from her safety indoctrination and company safety culture that she should have fitted her seat beltbefore moving off, I was told in a matter of a fact way that "I like to take a risk" and there was no attempt to wear the available seat belt.
To be frank, I was dumbstruck at the response and didn't challenge further, but her laissez-faire attitude could have put the driver of the shuttle at risk (she was sat immediately behind him) and I suppose me too if we were side-swiped as I was sat alongside her.
What amazes me is that we have a near 100% take-up of seat belt wear when we are in our own cars yet everyone thinks that they are above average skilled drivers and presumably safer than average (obviously something is wong when greater than 65% of us think that we are above average), yet we don't think it that important to wear seat belts when travelling in other public transport with a driver of unknown skills.
Come on folks, if we all truly believe that we are above average drivers, then you have to accept that statistically we are getting into vehicles driven by below average drivers.
So.... belt up....and shut up!! Put your seat belt on when you are challenged without being a smart Alec (or Alexa) and putting fellow passenger's lives in danger.
Labels: driving, HSE, HSSE, safety, seat belt
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