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The puzzle of seat belts explained
March 26, 1999Narrow escapes in the car may explain why seat belts save fewer lives than they should, according to Chartered Psychologist Dr Tony Reinhardt-Rutland of the University of Ulster.
The puzzle is that when seat belts are introduced they reduce deaths at first, but after a few years the death rate increases again. Speaking today, Sunday 11 April, at The British Psychological Society's Annual Conference held in Belfast, Dr. Reinhardt-Rutland offered a new explanation for this puzzle.
When people are unbelted, they experience 'looming'. This is the fear that accompanies being thrown towards the windscreen by sudden braking in a near miss. Looming represents a threat to life and may encourage people to drive more safely after a near miss. The problem is that people wearing seat belts do not experience looming. So, after a while, they may start to drive more dangerously because the inevitable near misses on the road no longer pitch them rapidly towards the windscreen.
"The effects of looming can take a long time to wear off, which is why it can be some years before people revert to bad driving habits," explained Dr. Reinhardt-Rutland.
British Psychological Society (BPS)
"The effects of looming can take a long time to wear off, which is why it can be some years before people revert to bad driving habits," explained Dr. Reinhardt-Rutland.
British Psychological Society (BPS)
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