I am always asking my passengers to wear seatbelts.
When they say they are ok I calculate to them the inertial forces they will withstand from a car crash at 40km/h and calculate their weight in that moment. I explain to them that they will "fall" on my and my girlfriend's necks and then they will fly about a car length. They use their safety belts from that points onward.
I also had a very hard to convince friend and we agreed to hard brake check when he is not aware to see if he is able to take it.
I actually have better brakes than what the stock car has, in terms of performance and very good tires which I change constantly using real life performance reviews found at www.tyrereviews.co.uk , well before they reach the EU safety marks. I left foot braked him to a full stop on an empty road (Bosch ABS) out of the blue and he has worn the seatbelt ever since. In his car also.
I think the problem with not wearing the seatbelt or the erratic driving or tailgating is due to a lack of a visualization. Defensive driving lessons are hard to get, maybe impossible in developing countries.
How can we visualize and educate the drivers about these things, this is the question? How to convince the hard to convince, or the overconfident. "No, your BMW can't possibly brake in 0.2 seconds from the moment in which your mind realizes the car you tailgate emergency braked until you hit it with a difference of 50 km/h"
I am very wound up about it, you'll see it in my account description: "safe driver" :)
Even if the ABS can function in 0.2 seconds, can the driver's reaction be that fast? I had an accident that resulted in the car flipping off the highway to the adjacent bush. We got off unscathed due to the fastened seatbelt. Defensive driving? Anyone that can drive here can virtually be on the road as long as you have a driver's licence, a licence you can get without getting behind the wheel once in your life!
I was referring to that. The driver's response is way too slow for the speeds that we are travelling.
We either remove the driver from the ecuation or learn to cheat and give us more time, like keeping greater distance to the car in front and identifying potetial dangerous situations.
Driving while making some braking distance between our vehicle and the next really helps us stop and prevent a possible pileup.
I have authored something that is related to your article:
https://steemit.com/automotive/@alexdory/vehicle-safety-systems-in-depth-analysis-of-what-technology-can-do-and-why-are-we-letting-the-monkey-drive
@alexdory, that was an interesting piece.
Defensive driving is common sense just as giving the vehicle at the front some distance. These things don't even need to be taught imo.
If taught, it'd help. Same way people with survival training fare better doing crisis compared to those who don't have. It appears common sense is no longer common :)
Safe driver Alex!
This is hilarious going into the detailed calculations for your passengers to see the danger of non-compliance with seat belt usage! you do this as often as?
I also remember sometimes ago when I was in a car with my brother going to a destination of about half a kilometer away. I felt no need to use the beat because of the short distance.
Well, I wished I did. We had an accident before getting to the destination. I was in the hospital for some days as a result. Ever since then, I don't care if the journey is just 50m away, i will always use my seat belt.
I even brake check the kids the second they undo their seatbelts thinking that I can't hear the click :)
The seatbelt is the 50's invention, come on, it's high time we used it always..
I will write something, maybe tomorrow about the newer car security systems.
hahaha... I will watch out for your post. Remember to include some of your experiences with the use of seat belt
https://steemit.com/automotive/@alexdory/vehicle-safety-systems-in-depth-analysis-of-what-technology-can-do-and-why-are-we-letting-the-monkey-drive
I didn't include that, it was not fitting with what I was writing about! :D