Simulator used to highlight seatbelt importance in South Carolina

Date: 9/11/2012

The South Carolina Highway Patrol has deployed a simulator in order to show the difference a seatbelt can make when a vehicle is involved in an accident.

A dummy of a child passenger and one of an adult were strapped into the simulator outside of South Aiken High School, reports The Aiken Standard.

The pupils were shown that when the device was turned on the dummies remained inside the car, then the simulation was repeated without the seatbelts being used.

After just two rotations the dummies were ejected from the vehicle and the students were informed that the simulated rollover showed what would happen if a car was travelling at 15 miles per hour.

The demonstration was targeted at people between the ages of 15 and 24 as young drivers make up the smallest demographic of those on the roads, but the largest number of fatalities.

Figures for South Carolina show that 691 people have died on the state's roads this year, including drivers, passengers, motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Of those in vehicles, 501 had access to the use of a seatbelt, but 240 chose not to wear one.

Lance Corporal Judd Jones said: "Not a lot of them knew that was going to be their day, their time.

"They might have done something differently. They might have stayed home. There are a lot of people that’d still be here today if they took the time to put that seatbelt on."

He went on to say that many young people don't wear a seatbelt as it is seen as uncool, but this is a mindset which needs to be challenged.

Lance Corporal Jones said: "That’s the attitude a lot of teenagers take when it comes to putting on the seat belt. Don’t have the attitude that it can’t happen to you. So far, 691 families are not going to see their loved ones for the holidays."

The simulator demonstration was part of a wider initiative called Drive Safe Aiken, which among other things is hoping to tackle the issues surrounding young drivers including speeding, texting while behind the wheel and ambivalence towards seatbelts.

Posted by Sarah Bailey

Transport Research News and Vehicle Safety News