Road safety: what is the risk of carrying loose objects in a car

 

When driving or getting into a vehicle, people are always exposed to risky situations. One of them involves the objects that can be loose inside the cabin, since they can become a danger in the face of sudden braking or the always latent traffic accidents.

Those people who spend a large part of the day aboard a car, utility vehicle, truck or bus, tend to have tools, but also in many cases clothes, footwear and items of daily use loose in different places of the vehicle, which means a permanent danger to all passengers.

Thus, for example, a simple lens case weighs just 150 grams, but in the face of a collision at a speed of 50 km / h it can weigh more than 40 times its weight, being a projectile that can hit the head of the driver or of any other passenger, causing serious damage and injury.

One of the most common situations arises when assembling luggage for travel. The vehicle is usually overloaded and, if the trunk space does not reach, the rear seats are used to place the remaining objects, something very dangerous in the case of heavy braking or collision, due to the amplifying effect of the weight produced by speed.

Road safety experts advise carrying these objects in the trunk as a loose item becomes a force capable of causing serious injury to the occupants. However, many people ignore this data.

To avoid accidents it is necessary to know what precautions to take and to be aware of safety inside and outside the vehicle. It must be borne in mind that in the face of an accident there are four types of impacts that can occur: the first is that of the vehicle against the obstacle, the second is that of the body (which wants to continue moving at the speed at which it was coming) against the seat belt and airbag; the third impact, the most dangerous, is that of the organs against the skeleton, and the fourth usually occurs when loose things are carried in the vehicle.

When the trunk space is not enough, many people choose to place objects between the seats or the rear window, something very dangerous in the event of a strong braking or collision.

"Before starting any journey, it is important to check and secure the load to avoid unnecessary accidents. Taking advantage of the space in the trunk and the storage spaces to properly place all the luggage is essential to have a quiet and safe trip," said Cristian Fanciotti, CEO of Ituran. The safest way to transport any object is in the trunk, in the glove compartment, in bags located behind the backrests of the front seats and in the recesses of the doors or the front or rear armrests.

Carry the heaviest items in spaces with covers, such as the glove compartment or the chest between the seats. Always hold heavy objects that are carried in the trunk. This is to prevent them from entering the cabin in the event of an accident.