the absolute importance of wearing a seatbelt

[Jai]

was brought home to me last night in graphic detail

called to an injury road traffic accident, 2 cars involved. being first on scene, i went to one car, my collegue went to another. on the back seat of "my" car i find a 9 year old girl, blood all over her face, unconcious.

whilst rendering first aid to her, till the ambulance service arrived, her sister, who had also been a backseat passenger, said they had not been wearing a seatbelt. hence when they had ploughed into an oncoming car, the girl had gone flying through the gap between the front seats, smashed her face, and bounced back to the rear.

the upshot, severe facial injuries, extreme brain and skull trauma, collapsed lung. it took drs several hours to stabalise her at a local hospital before she could be taken to a specialist unit, where, as i type this, a nuerosurgical team is trying to save whats left of her brain, and set the path to rescue some measure of life for her.

at best they reckon she will require 100% assistance for the rest of her life, at worst, and maybe it would be a blessing, she'll die peacefully.

i'm quite upset, and i'm having a few beers since i got in, but i mean it when i say, wear your damn belts, give yourself a chance. if not you, then at least your kids. no one deserves what this child is enduring through negligence

you dont need to drive that fast, and for those on this forum who come on and boast of exploits where they came close to cheating fate, **** you. thats right, **** you you selfish incosiderate cock, because some prick like you didnt last night, and i had to tell a family their child may not be coming home

to any i offend, i apologise for my language, never for the sentiment

jai

 

[custard]

totally agree,never understand people with kids in the back unbelted.same would go for adults but its more obvious with kids as they tend to be jumping all over the shop.TBH i wont really drive anywhere in the cinq with young kids in there as i just dont feel there is enough protection.
last time i was helping a friend move some stuff i hired a car of more sizable proportions.
dont envy you this one,often amazes me in progs such as traffic cops how lax some people are on safety issues

 

[PNL]

Sorry but I don't think I could do your job must be hard to see this time and time again just because a simple thing like a seat belt hasn't been used I know when I collect my daughter and grandchildren on a Saturday and bring them home for a visit my daughter is very very careful that the children are all buckled up safely and don't feel sorry for the language on this occasion some times its the only way to get it out of your system.

 

[MattCupra]

I would never dream of riding in the front of a car without a seatbelt, but tbh on the rare occasion I travel in the back I normally forget but after reading this I don't think I will forget again. I assume your a cop and you guys get my all respect for the job you do.

 

[flick]

hey, i work with children and i totaly understand ur frustration over this one. I will never understand y anyone would allow a child to sit in a car without a seratbelt on. I was driving the other day and was behind a ford focus and it was driving through town at about 50/60mph and there was a kid jumping about the back seat and it really pissed me off. i know a few cops and i really dont envy u guys. i think it takes sumit ally special to be a cop. language didint offend me, perfectly understandable in this one.
flick

 

[custard]

hey, i work with children and i totaly understand ur frustration over this one. I will never understand y anyone would allow a child to sit in a car without a seratbelt on. I was driving the other day and was behind a ford focus and it was driving through town at about 50/60mph and there was a kid jumping about the back seat and it really pissed me off. i know a few cops and i really dont envy u guys. i think it takes sumit ally special to be a cop. language didint offend me, perfectly understandable in this one.
flick

yup i dont get it either,you see them with there kids jumping around.often you notice as they have pulled out in front off you.
had one the other day pull out in front of me in the non turbo cinq at a roundabout.if i had been in the turbo i would have been MUCH closer than i was and would most likely have slammed into the side of them

 

[sammiboo]

Yeah i know what you mean. If i hadnt have had my searbelt on then I dont think I would have come out of my car alive. Everyone cant believe I came out of there alive even with a seatbelt on

One of my friends work in A&E in Rochdale, when she came to visit me after my accident she told me she never wears a seatbelt. How can someone who works in accident and emergency, who sees the results of people not wearing them, feels confortable driving around without a seatbelt. its crazy!

 

[custard]

that is crazy,im old enough to remember the seatbelt law coming in(and cars without inertia reels on the seat belts!)but its been around so long you just instinctivly put it on as part of your start up routine

 

[Stu DemonD]

A taxi mate of mine never used to wear his, as the law allows - but then he had a massive accident a year or two back, when a juggernaut ploughed into the back of his Skoda on the A14.

Luckily him and his 'fare' were ok, even though he was stretchered off to A&E.

And since then, he belts up; so what if someone does a runner for a £5 fare, he realises life is more important.

 

[steve1219]

I think, and I am not trying to cause trouble, the police should do more about seat belts and mobile phones I think most of us will see more people breaking these laws than any and yet I have never seen people pulled for it yet but plenty of cars with noisy exhausts or tints getting pulled. Just my pennies worth but if it is not getting enforced its not going to get better. Fine the buggers!!!

Steve

 

[PNL]

Absolutely agree withyou there 1219 I pulled into a queue of traffic the other morning by me and the police would have had a field day the ironical part is that there is a main police station [Rumney hill] no more that 50 yards away and they gotta be blind if they cant see these people on their mobiles from their front office

 

[Helz]

Thank you so much Jai for the job you do, it must be so hard when you deal with negativity and tragedy day in day out and still keep on going. I agree utterly with your language and sentiments, so so hard to put something like that into words, cannot imagine how you must feel inside. Even before this I totally agree that anyone travelling in a car should be weaing a seatbelt, even for short journeys. Without it, as Sammi says she would not be here and I am so so happy that she is :hug: I don't know what to wish for for that young lass, she hasn't had any chance in life due to some selfish adult who was supposedly looking after her. This whole thread has literally made me and it's not often I use that and mean it.

 

[angel]

Reading this just made me realise how precious life is, especially that of our children and loved ones. So I went straight upstairs and hugged mine and told her I love her.

I'm sure all the Forum members thoughts are with that family at this time. I'm sure your actions being first at the scene have also helped the girl in some way.

If u need to let off steam and get things off your chest, we are all here to listen and offer you the support you may need.

xx

 

[Bunny]

When my sister and i where kids, my dad wouldn't start the car up till we had our belts on. He taught us early on the importance for seat belts.
Jai you do i tough job and for that i thank you. What you said makes you realise what important in life.

 

[christopher watson]

I saw this sort of thing last week, a kid was standing up on the back seat of the mothers X5 . I tooted, but all i got was the finger sign off the mother . Ned, my prays are with the little girl.

(showing my age now) always remember - clunk click every trip

 

[Alan.D]

Jai you must have got in about the same time as me after Nights, I can understand your sentiment and your post needing to get it off your chest.

We are put in positions where we see the worst things in life & death, some expect that it doesn't affect us and to a certain point the longer we serve the feelings of an incident of the type that you attended numb slightly but they can still affect you. The odd one still pops into my head now & again in the form of a sleepless or restless night.

I suggest you have a good chat with your colleagues and sick as it may sound a good laugh & the odd sick joke with your mates, it helps me under those circumstances & hopefully it'll help you get over it. Getting pi$$ed helps but only briefly.

Anyway if you need a chat you know where I am

 

[moogs]

Jai, no apology for language necessary. Hat off to you for the hard job you do.
Kids without seatbelts riles me no end. How many times have I seen a young kid climbing around in the back of a car, stood on the seats etc. Or how many times have I seen a kid on the lap of a parent in the front.

Seriously makes me wanna pull the parent out and give them an encyclopaedic demonstration of the fragility of human life.

If I were a cop I think there would be times I'd have a tough job keeping my cool, not physically, but just my professional cool.

Top man, Jai - and all emergency servicefolk.

 

[H2DaE]

Totally agree with you turboned! I've got a mate who never wears a seatbelt, says it digs into his chest rolleyes: **** excuse, since thats what they're supposed to do). So now, when he doesn't wear it, I pull the car forward slightly and slam on the brakes. When he says, "watch out" I tell him he should be wearing his seatbelt, and he puts it on

 

[brava007]

I think, and I am not trying to cause trouble, the police should do more about seat belts and mobile phones I think most of us will see more people breaking these laws than any and yet I have never seen people pulled for it yet but plenty of cars with noisy exhausts or tints getting pulled. Just my pennies worth but if it is not getting enforced its not going to get better. Fine the buggers!!!

Steve

I will quite happily ticket anyone on a phone or no seatbelt, its just a shame that we cant show people photos of crash scenes etc. But to some people, whats a 30quid fine? They dont care one bit, taxi drivers seem to think they are exempt at all times to, the amount of driving they do means they are at a higher risk of being involved in an accident too!!!!!

 

[christopher watson]

taxi drivers seem to think they are exempt at all times to, the amount of driving they do means they are at a higher risk of being involved in an accident too!!!!!

also the way that they drive, as the ones around where i live drive at about 40-50mph at the weekend, and take stupid risks.