'Deadly' car accessories are being sold widely in Vietnam
A simple accessory that can "bypass" the seat belt warning system on cars is very popular on the Vietnamese market.
From January 1, 2018: People sitting in the back seat of a car without wearing a seat belt will be fined.
According to Decree 46/2016/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative penalties for traffic violations, from January 1, 2018, rear passengers in cars who do not wear seat belts will also be fined.
However, many car users find this warning system very "annoying", simply because they feel uncomfortable when having to wear a seat belt, including the driver. And an accessory has been born to meet the needs of these customers, which is the seat belt replacement pin, which fits directly into the available slot on every car.
Simple, cheap accessories that can cause injuries in an accident |
This seat belt replacement plug is very cheap on the market, only from 50,000 - 100,000 VND depending on the type, and is sold very commonly in most car toy stores. Ironically, this item sells quite well, due to the mentality of many Vietnamese people "afraid" to wear seat belts when sitting in cars. When plugged in, the car's electrical system will recognize it as a plugged seat belt, from there no longer emits a warning.
In fact, many Vietnamese people do not have the habit of wearing seat belts when sitting in cars, this mentality still follows them until they own a car, they are afraid of hearing the ear-piercing sound every time the car rolls without wearing a seat belt. Therefore, this accessory is like a "solution" to fool the safety warning system on the car.
To meet customer tastes, many auto accessory stores also have all kinds of bolts with logos of popular car brands in Vietnam. Many people do not know that this accessory will become a "deadly" weapon if an accident happens while the car is in operation.
The seat belt system in a car is even more important than the airbag, it can save the lives of the occupants in the event of a collision. If the passenger does not wear a seat belt, the effect and efficiency of the airbag is almost non-existent, and the airbag system in some car models will not deploy if the seat belt system is not fastened. "Bypassing" the seat belt warning system is an extremely dangerous thing that many people are not aware of.
This toy, when plugged into the car, disables the seat belt warning system. |
Seat belts were invented in the late 1800s, and are now optional and standard equipment in cars. Seat belts protect car occupants by restraining them in the event of an accident that could send them flying toward the windshield. They also hold someone in place in the event of hard braking or a collision. Airbags protect the driver from impact with the steering wheel, helping to reduce injuries if the car crashes, shakes, or flips.
Statistically, people who are in an accident and are wearing a seat belt have a better chance of avoiding injury. Many places in the world have strict regulations regarding the wearing of seat belts in vehicles, whether in the front or back seats, especially for children. People who are not wearing seat belts are not only at risk of being injured, but can also injure other passengers in the vehicle. In the event of an accident, people who are not wearing seat belts can be thrown around the vehicle or even out of it, causing injury to other passengers.
Test accident occurred, people in the car were thrown out because they were not wearing seat belts |
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts reduce injuries by about 50% in serious crashes. Airbags are provided in vehicles as a secondary safety device but are no less important. Airbags combined with seat belts provide the best protection for adults.
Lawmakers in many countries around the world have sanctions for those who do not wear seat belts when sitting in cars, including those sitting in the back. In Vietnam, the fine for such behavior is from 100,000 - 200,000 VND, this fine is still quite "light", not enough of a deterrent.