Hortatory Exposition: Fasten Your Seat Belt!

A seat belt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harnessdesigned to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop. As part of an overall occupant restraint system, seat belts are intended to reduce injuries by stopping the wearer from hitting hard interior elements of the vehicle or other passengers (the so-called second impact) and by preventing the wearer from being thrown from the vehicle.

During 2004, total accident in DKI Jakarta are 4.544 cases, with 1.146 death victims, 63% of that accident victims didn’t use seat belt (Source: tempo interactive). If we use seat belt, we will be safe if an accident happening to us. Of course it will decrease the number of death by fatal accident. This fact makes us realize that if we don’t use seat belt, we will endanger our life. So it’s very important to use seat belt.

For some people, using seat belt makes journey uncomfortable, makes us can’t move freely, etc. But if we used to wear it, it will be our habit. We will feel more and more comfortable if we often use it. Regardless of whether it is comfortable or not, it is very important for us to use seat belt, to save our life.

Government, especially police department, began enforcing us to use a seat belt to decrease the number of death victim. It’s appropriated with polices’ slogan “Melindungi dan Mengayomi Masyarakat Indonesia”. Because the number of death victim in Indonesia is so high. And most of the death victims didn’t use seat belt. 

A rule in our country about seat belt:

UNDANG-UNDANG LALU LINTAS DAN ANGKUTAN JALAN

Pasal 61

(2) Barangsiapa tidak menggunakan sabuk keselamatan pada waktu mengemudikan kendaraan bermotor roda empat atau lebih, atau tidak mengggunakan helm pada waktu mengemudikan kendaraan bermotor roda dua atau pada waktu mengemudikan kendaraan bermotor roda empat atau lebih yang tidak dilengkapi dengan rumah-rumah, sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 23 ayat (1) huruf e, dipidana dengan pidana kurungan paling lama 1 (satu) bulan atau denda setinggi-tingginya Rp. 1.000.000,00 (satu juta rupiah).

This rule is good, but I think the sanction of this rule is so cruel; it’s very expensive to pay for Indonesian people. Indonesia isn’t a rich country. This rule is susceptible to be misused, the misuse of paying the sanction. It will be better if the sanction is below Rp 1.000.000,00. 

How about a pregnant woman?

I think pregnant woman shouldn’t be free from the rule enforcing the use of a seat belt. Her big stomach isn’t a reason to not use seat belt. Now, there is a special seat belt which is designed for pregnant woman. For pregnant mothers, the fetus is protected by a sac full of amniotic fluid. This sac is quite strong and the fluid inside acts like a cushion to protect the fetus. The sac is pliable so it can change shape to a certain degree. The proper use of a seat belt will divert the pressure points off the sac, and thus the fetus would only be minimally affected. The lap belt should be worn low over the pelvic bones and not against the soft stomach area. The shoulder belt should be worn across the chest. Both should be worn snugly. So, the baby won’t be pressed by seat belt. 

There is no reason for us to not use seat belt. There are so many advantages of using seat belt. And there are so many disadvantages if you don’t use seat belt. I think we have to rely on one thing: our safety. As wise men say: ”Protection is better than curing”. So, fasten your seat belt…!!!