Car habits that can be dangerous for drivers
Below are some of the dangers that drivers themselves create in their cars. The cause is mostly due to the driver's subjectivity and lack of experience.
Fake belt, dead belt
Most cars today are equipped with seat belts, and even a reminder feature that warns you when you “forgot” to fasten your seat belt is standard equipment. However, many drivers and passengers subjectively insert the belt or use a fake belt clip to “trick” them into silencing the annoying warning sound.
The above action is extremely dangerous and is no different from suicide if an accident occurs. According to calculations by car experts, if the person sitting in the car is not wearing a seat belt, the impact on the windshield, steering wheel, dashboard, front seat... will be very strong at speed and force. For example, if the car is running at 50km/h, the impact force is estimated to be equivalent to falling from a height of 40m to the ground.
In addition, if not wearing a seat belt, when cornering or braking suddenly, the driver will by inertia fall forward or to the left or right, causing the hands to unconsciously rest on the steering wheel, making it difficult to handle the situation.
Place objects or floor mats in the way of the gas pedal
The area for the brake, accelerator, and clutch pedals is often recommended to be clear and easy to operate. However, many drivers do not pay attention to this and accidentally leave cumbersome objects such as shoes, clogs, fire extinguishers, and even poor quality floor mats.
When braking, by instinct, unanchored objects can easily drift towards the pedal cluster, leading to the risk of getting caught, making it difficult to operate, or even getting the pedal stuck.
In the US in 2011, Toyota had to recall more than 2.2 million vehicles due to faulty floor mats that could trap the accelerator pedal. This led to many car manufacturers later designing additional floor mats with locks to help fix the position, avoiding displacement during use.
Hang heavy objects under the rearview mirror in the car
Hanging heavy objects such as amulets, perfumes, Buddha statues or toys is common among Asian drivers for many reasons such as hobbies, religion, luck, etc. However, this seemingly harmless practice can potentially cause drivers to spend money on windshield repairs.
Just like not wearing a seat belt, hanging a heavy object under your rearview mirror increases the risk of impact during sudden braking or a collision. The heavy object hanging under your mirror will be like a bullet shooting forward, increasing the risk of shattering the windshield.
Front and rear window sill trim
Many people have the habit or learn from each other by decorating and placing objects on the front windshield and rear window sill. Many objects are often placed such as statues, perfume bottles, tissue boxes, even photo frames...
When colliding or braking suddenly, these objects are no different from objects that increase the damage because they are not securely fixed, and are right at the head of the person sitting in the car, making them extremely dangerous.
