Behind the Wheel - Everyone Must Wear Seatbelts
 

Taxi drivers in British Columbia are exempt from wearing their seatbelts if they are travelling at less than 70 km/h. I have never understood why this exemption was necessary, particularly in light of the fact that doing so actually endangers their passengers. No one in a vehicle that I drive is exempt from wearing their seatbelt and I have been able to convince my taxi driver to follow suit.

My collision reconstruction experience made me well aware of what happens to people who fail to wear their seatbelts and are involved in a motor vehicle collision. I have seen front seats torn out of the floor by unbelted rear seat passengers as they faithfully followed Newton's first law of motion during a crash. These "backseat bullets" very likely contributed to the death of the passenger in the front seat in one case I investigated.

Similarly, during collisions that are not head on, unbelted vehicle occupants in any seating position become heavy projectiles capable of doing significant damage to themselves and others.

During collisions seat belts keep the driver behind the wheel and more likely to be in control of the vehicle post crash. They may still be able to steer and brake, perhaps keeping you out of a second crash in the oncoming lane or with roadside objects or other road users.

When I entered the cab, I simply told the driver that I would appreciate it if he wore his seatbelt. His response was that he was exempt and he made no move to put it on as he pulled away from the curb. My next step was to ask him politely to pull over and let me out. I would find a cab driver willing to wear his seatbelt while he drove me to my destination. My driver was not happy, but put on his seatbelt. I felt safer for both of us.

Reference Links

how come taxi drivers are exempt?
what was the reasoning to exempt them from wearing seat belts?

Would you know why Kabuki Cab drivers don't have to wear helmets, even though every other cyclist has to?

I still don't understand why school buses don't have them...

think of the kids!

Probably to make it easier to escape if attacked by a passenger.

Are police officers required to wear theirs?

I think that Buses should be equiped withseat belts even if it isn't thhe law to wear them, I would still like to be able to

The MV Act permits Police to not wear them if they deem it essential in the course of their duties. I never found that I needed to ride unbuckled, except for the last few feet when I knew I was going to have to bail & chase somebody who was going to bail also. 28 years of seeing smashed, unbuckled bodies and being in 3 ( not my fault) crashes was enough to reinforce my belt wearing. I even wore them when they were only lap belts and were not required at all. My racing days told me that I was safer restrained behind the wheel...specially the way I raced!!!!

a friend of mine is a cabbie, he doesnt wear his seatbelt because he says it can be used very effectively to strangle the driver from behind and leave him helpless to a backseat passenger

considering the kinds of people they sometimes carry, i can understand his reasoning for sure

what about tow truck drivers? I have sat next to them a few times, and they say it is just incase the car they are towing comes loose or something.

I have been inside a bus during an accident. I was standing up holding a pole near the back doors. The bus slammed into a parked car as it was chaning lanes to avoid the van. Even though we were not going that fast everyone went flying. I wish that bus had seat belts. I can imagine how bad it would be if we were going even faster.

I can understand where he is coming from as we often share the same "clients"...however, the chances of him being strangled vs the certainty that he will be seriously injured or killed in a crash when you spend your life driving in traffic....not even close. How many cabs crash and how many cabbies get strangled with a seat belt? ....I'd buckle up...as it only takes a second to hit the release button.

a friend of mine just got a ticket yesterday for wearing her seatbelt incorrectly..

the Shoulder strap was under her left arm.. (Not sure why)

the officer gave her a ticket for $170..

needless to say shes quite livid.. i haven't seen the ticket yet..

I personally rarely wear my seatbelt.. but that's a personal choice.. If i die or end up in a coma so be it..

Whenever I see people wearing the seatbelt under the arm, I just wonder, is it really that uncomfortable? You would rather risk a dislocated shoulder or something than to put it on properly. I'm glad she got the ticket. Now hopefully she learns from the ticket before she learns the hard way.

well for certain girls i can understand why they put it under their arm, or some of them dont wear the top strap at all....from a safety standpoint it is stupid, but the seatbelts are exactly designed with a women's body in mind.

The other problems with not wearing it properly adjusted and securely fastened, is that the upper body is not restrained and the huge deceleration pressures are now applied to flimsy ribs which shatter & get driven into hearts and stuff. If is is uncomfortable, then by a clip or get a sheepskin pad thingie. The minor discomfort of a properly worm shoulder strap is nothing compared to facial reconstruction or a body cast.

well in this day and age where everything is becoming more ergonomical or anatomically correct, i'm sure it wont be long before car manufactures start making women's specific seats + seatbelts. haha

I wonder how everyone would feel if you were in a roll-over and your flying body injured your passenger. I bet he'd appreciate someone landing on his neck.

It scares me that people with this sort of attitude towards safety are even allowed on the road.

^^ if its my personal safety i will deal with it..

I mow the Lawn in Bare feet sometimes, I ride a Petal bike without a Helmet. I dont look both way before crossing, and i dont wear a life jacket when out on Cultus lake.. I dont always put my tray table up when flying, and I run up escalators, Some call me stupid.. Others, just go about there lives.. Im not going to worry about all the What If's that are around me.. Im almost 30.. and i have been fine so far..

That's what everyone with a stupidity-induced brain injury used to think.

I can't believe there are still people out there who don't wear one.

It's such a force of habit for me that I put it on without even realizing it.

That's me...

And if someone becomes an issue i wanna be able to get out and run without fighting with my seatbelt. If someone appears to be of no risk and asks me to wear it I do. But ive been in a few situations where I have to get out in a hurry to defuse the situation.

Really. I'm more likely to have a knife pulled on me, get attacked or like above, strangled with my seatbelt.

I've been in two rearenders in 4 years of driving hack and 500,000km driven. Yet I've had to get out because of my customers more times than i can count.

I've had a gun pulled on me, knives waved in my face, you really never know who you are picking up. It's not a safe job because of the customers, not because I don't wear a seatbelt.


PS. I still love my job.

Note above. And I'd say there are more incidences with my company where the driver is glad that he wasn't wearing his seatbelt compared to the 2 serious crashes drivers have had and noone has been seriously injured.


You know as well as I do.... Every second counts. You gonna keep your side arm in your back seat? it only takes one extra second to pull it out.

Is this CA_FTW's friend (snws)?: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wvoLtwni0k...0/seatbelt.jpg

If so, I can see the problem...

She needs one of these: http://www.fastandloud.com/images/post/seatbelt.jpg

Of course, THIS is the proper use for a seatbelt on a woman (snws): http://www.suckitupprincess.com/week...tbelt-belt.jpg

Cue Dennis Leary...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pGk3cgp7w8