since 1976
since 1976
VOLVO cars have an extensive range of active and passive safety systems each but the road safety message Volvo Car Malaysia (VCM) wants to emphasise for its current ‘Drive Safe’ campaign is for all vehicle occupants to buckle up. When you consider that the fatal accident rate during this Hari Raya festive period is a daily toll of 16, many of which could have been avoided if seatbelts were used, the message couldn’t be more appropriate.
The timely stress on the use of seatbelts also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the three-point seatbelt. This car safety item was invented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959 and since then has become the single most important safety innovation to be introduced in a car. Volvo was generous too as it was too important a safety item not to share and gave the patent away so that it could be fitted to any car from any manufacturer.
Based on internal data collected by Volvo Cars since the 1960s, it is estimated that the three-point safety belt had saved more than a million lives. Recently, Volvo Cars announced Project EVA (Equal Vehicles for All), allowing any car manufacturer to access its actual accident data collected over more than 40 years and other research data to build safer cars. This is said to coincide with Volvo Cars’ belief that safety should be for everyone.
Perhaps we could highlight our experience as living proof of using seatbelts in two instances. The first incident was in the mid-1970s that saw us in the car that overturned after hitting a rock while avoiding another vehicle at about 110km/h. We were wearing the seatbelt even though it was not compulsory by law to do so then and came away with only a few bruises. Car damage was severe though.
In the second incident, which was in the early 1980s, we were involved in a head-on collision in which both cars were travelling at about the same 70km/h speed. It was our fault as we had lost car control after hitting a sandy patch while taking a corner fast. Back then, most seatbelts in cars were static ones and not the inertia reel type with pretensioners found in vehicles today.
The impact forces of the collision generated high g-forces that propelled us forward in the driver’s seat but the seatbelt restrained us from hitting our head on the steering wheel or dashboard. There was still no compulsory seatbelt law then but we wore it because it came with the car that we bought, and we are certainly glad that we did. What we suffered during this car crash was being badly winded as the air in our diaphragm was suddenly forced out by the belt acting on our chest area; but we survived with barely a bruise.
VCM Managing Director Nalin Jain said: “All automotive safety technologies rely on the three-point safety belt as a reference point. Without this item, any protective or preventive features in the car could become ineffective. The misconception that the public have is that airbags, crash structures and active safety systems alone are enough to protect in-car occupants.”
He added: “Volvo is continually introducing many safety innovations but it is high time that we get back to basics – we would work closely with the Road Safety Department (JKJR) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) to raise public awareness on the importance of using the three-point safety belt. I believe the increased use of safety belt by all car occupants would help to reduce the number of road fatalities and serious injuries in the country.”
According to the data gathered by MIROS in 2017, an average of 16 road fatalities is recorded in the month of Ramadan and Syawal. You have to admit that is a shockingly high number. We are fully convinced after our experiences that this statistics could be reduced if everyone on board, including rear passengers, is properly secured using the appropriate safety restraints and seats.
For the VCM Safe Drive campaign, the company says the message would be rolled out via various mediums including radio, newspapers, websites, social media platforms and through authorised dealerships to gain maximum exposure. Do take this ‘Buckle up’ message seriously even if you feel inconvenienced to belt up. You might never know when doing so could save your life or you from suffering severe injuries.
Video link here.
Volvo XC40 with Angel Ng - Fusion Red.mp4
Volvo XC40 with Quek Shio Chuan - Bursting Blue.mp4
SafeDrive - Media Launch Video.mp4
