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| May 10, 2008 |
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It's simple physics: Seat belts save lives
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MY LETTER on seat belts which appeared on Wednesday invited brickbats as well as agreement, and one was gracious enough to forgive me because of the good letters I wrote. I thank those who agreed and the one who forgave me.
The thrust of my letter was:
How can anyone of MP mettle fail to see the simple laws of physics where a moving vehicle imparts the same velocity it is travelling at to everything in it? School children are not fixed objects and are therefore kept moving in the direction of motion when there is a crash, resulting in possible fatality;
Buses are subject to the same force of equal power, with the same consequences. But what is the remedy when seated passengers and those standing are subject to a force which, in a crash, will impel them in the direction of motion? Seat belts (for the seated) will be an inconvenience as they get on and off. For those standing, where is the restraint?
While we are aware of these factors, it appears nothing can be done except safe driving to minimise risk. However, this does not remove the result of being thrown in the direction of movement of the vehicle.
Whether I sell seat belts or not is not the question. I merely pointed out that in buses, for example, the factor of death is still there because of the momentum generated by the vehicle. Inconvenience does not obliterate the laws of momentum.
How we stop people dying or being seriously injured when a bus meets with an accident is open to discussion. What is not open to discussion is the factor of death or serious injury arbitrarily laid down by this particular law of physics. This is the sine qua non of nature which does not care whether my letter is worthless or valid. Death or injury will follow if there is no restraint.
Again, restraint is not a 100 per cent guarantee.
It only lowers the risk factor of death or, to put it another way, it increases the survival factor. If this input is considered worthless, so be it.
Dudley Au
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