Fastening Your Safety Belt
Fastening your safety belt when you get into a car, like understanding driving signals, should be second nature to every motorist in the U.K. As well as being against the law to sit in any position in a private, moving vehicle without wearing a safety belt, it is also extremely unsafe and could cost you dearly. It is incredible to think then, that there are still many, many people who aren't buckling up. While you might think you're too good a driver to get into an accident, it is not possible to predict everything that can happen on the road and a seatbelt is there to save you from the worst.
The Importance of Seatbelts
Seatbelts are fitted into cars in order to ensure that both the passenger and the driver are safe in case of an accident. The reason a seatbelt is so vital is that the speed and movement of a vehicle has a direct and radically heightening effect on the velocity of movement of everything in it, passengers included. Therefore if you come to a sudden halt or hit another object, your body moves with drastically higher force and speed, pushing you either sideways or forwards with unpredictable power. The seatbelt stops this force from taking you too far from your seated position.
Even if it is the case that you don't feel it is worth wearing a seatbelt to protect your own safety, you should wear one out of concern for the others in your car. In a crash a driver or passenger not wearing a seatbelt is likely to have their body thrown around the car. Due to the added velocity, their body will have an impact of more than twenty times its body weight on anything it comes into contact with, including others in the vehicle. This can cause extreme injuries to those you are driving with.
Also, while you may be confident in your own driving abilities, how can you be sure of everyone else on the road? While the U.K. is home to some of the best and safest motorist on the planet, people get distracted and accidents do happen. Wearing a seatbelt every time you hit the road will protect you if they do.
Seatbelts and Animals
While the vast majority of drivers are very conscientious about making sure everyone in their car is safely strapped in with their safety belt, an alarmingly high number of British motorists are unaware of the importance of keeping any animals or pets they are travelling with strapped in as well. An unrestrained pet, no matter how passive or peaceful they may be, is always liable to become a distraction in a moving car if startled or upset. Also, having your pet unrestrained while driving will risk injuring them if you are involved in an accident.
A small dog or cat should be kept inside a pet carrier if they are travelling with you in your car. In the absence of a pet carrier a canine harness will do. For larger dogs you should really have a fully functional pet crate if you wish to take them with you when you drive. If your car is too small for that, you'll need a large canine harness. Don't risk their and your own safety by driving with them unrestrained.
Fastening your safety belt is one of the most crucial pieces of road safety you will ever learn. No matter how long you've been driving for and no matter how short your planned journey is, always buckle up. It is your responsibility to yourself and everyone your travel with.