Safety rules behind the wheel are well anchored for most drivers, but some reflexes are still unknown. Among them, a simple but little applied gesture: Curf the rear belts even in the absence of passengers. This council, which may seem superfluous at first, is however taken very seriously by the Spanish authorities. The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) indeed recommends attaching all belts before taking the road, those of the rear included. This advice does not come from the simple excess of prudence, but a very precise logic that we often discover too late. We take stock.
Safety behind the wheel: a matter of everyone!
Each trip engages a share of responsibility. However, despite a strict regulatory framework, the figures remain alarming: more than 3,000 deaths and 200,000 injured each year in Franceincluding many young people, first victims between 12 and 25 years old. The road, shared between cars, pedestrians and two-wheelers, concentrates the dangers, especially since the rise of motorized traffic.
To supervise this cohabitation, the highway code lays clear rules: priority, speed limitations, signaling, visibility and indicators. But these rules, as well done be, only make sense if everyone applies them. The real lever remains everyone’s awareness. Because beyond fines and radars, individual vigilance remains the best protection against dramas.
Prevent is better than cure …
Ensuring its safety on the road does not depend on the infrastructure or on -board technologies. Admittedly, the State improves road networks and manufacturers in constantly innovate to offer ever more protective cars. But at the heart of everything,
It is the driver who holds the key. Maintaining your vehicle correctly, monitoring your physical shape, adapting your speed and staying focused are all decisive attitudes.
Among these simple reflexes to adopt, one remains widely ignored: to attach the rear belts, even when no passenger is there. This may seem superfluous, however this gesture avoids a feared phenomenon in the event of brutal braking or collision: “The elephant effect“, when an unlisted belt becomes a projectile in its own right, endangering the occupants of the vehicle. A detail which, in reality, makes all the difference.
The elephant effect: an invisible danger on board
Some vehicles, especially the oldest, have poorly fixed or unstable rear benches. During supported braking or shock, these seats can move or deform. To limit this risk, Attach the belts, even without a passenger, becomes an essential gesture. This simple reflex helps maintain the seats in place and strengthens the general stability of the passenger compartment.
But that’s not all. In the event of a collision, objects not retained – suitcases, bags or other loads – can be projected with an impressive force. To prevent the contents of the trunk from turning into a projectile, it is recommended to
Close all belts at the back. This advice makes it possible to limit the dreaded effect of “The elephant effect“: During a shock at 60 km/h, a 75 kg body can hit the front seat with a power equivalent to 4.2 tonnes. What remind that the belt, even empty, can save lives.
