Introduction
Seat belts are essential to help people survive difficult situations during car accidents. In this regard, wearing a seat belt when driving a car or sitting in a passenger seat is imperative. This way, a person can avoid serious injury or death in an accident. Introducing exceptional standards and measures so that people can understand why it is necessary to use such a device is a practice that can help many maintain health. However, in public health, the problem of people ignoring the need to wear seat belts remains relevant. In this regard, it is necessary to consider some programs aimed at solving this issue.
Problem
Seat belts are vital to keeping people well-protected in emergency crash conditions. At the same time, many people neglect the use of this tool for protection in favor of the vehicle’s convenience and ease of use. This is a pressing public health issue as it can lead to severe injury and death in the event of a crash.
In such situations, passengers may be subject to severe G-forces caused by a rapid stop due to braking or crashing into another vehicle (Febres et al., 2020). Seat belts are the most effective means of protection that can save lives in such situations. Public health has many policies to educate drivers and passengers about the usefulness of this device. However, many people do not use this product, putting themselves at risk of serious injury.
The neglect of safety described above is due to social misconceptions and cultural perceptions of this tool. First of all, many people believe that this creates inconvenience and discomfort when using a vehicle, forcing them to neglect their safety (Febres et al., 2020). In addition, when people make short trips, they may also convince themselves that the risk of an accident is negligible and, therefore, there is no need for seat belts. Overestimation of driving skills is also an important aspect that prevents many individuals from using the defense mechanism. This creates a problem of insufficient security and risk.
Background
Using seat belts is a high priority to prevent non-life-threatening injuries while driving a vehicle. The development of automobiles and the modernization of the transport system required delving into aspects of ensuring the safe transportation of people without causing harm in emergencies. In this regard, Volvo developed a seat belt system in the mid-20th century (Briones Panadero, 2020). This turning point quickly consolidated this attribute in all other modes of transport and automakers. The three-point design has become the standard for providing reliable travel protection to protect a person from death.
Later, laws began to be passed regarding seat belts, their necessity, and use. The United States also introduced legislation that required drivers and passengers to wear seat belts at all times to ensure a better chance of surviving accidents (Briones Panadero, 2020). However, there is a continuing trend that shows that a large number of people continue to avoid using this mechanism. In this regard, public health must resort to tactics that increase people’s willingness to use belts.
Landscape
The situation around the use of seat belts in vehicles is characterized by constant tightening of necessary measures to ensure complete safety for drivers and passengers. This is a priority for the government as such actions can help save the lives and productivity of many people (Briones Panadero, 2020). The adoption of seat belt laws is a critical element in preventing their use. These regulations require people to use belts and impose fines if they do not encourage compliance. Raising public awareness is also an imperative element that can help fully reap safe travel’s benefits. Creating policies that help people understand the value of wearing seat belts is one of the most important ways to improve public health.
Policy Options Analysis
Option 1
Introducing special regulations regarding seat belts is an important aspect that can help increase the frequency of their use. One such policy is the City of Oak Leaf’s mandatory seat belt use for all city employees while traveling to work (City of Oak Leaf, 2022). This option is essential because it requires people to use effective safety equipment to help avoid serious injury in a car accident.
This option is beneficial because all city employees will be required to set an example for other city residents, increasing their ability to use seat belts. This action may have long-term positive consequences in increasing public awareness of the benefits of this protection mechanism. In addition, the policy emphasizes recommendations regarding using seat belts on non-work-related trips, which can also have a positive effect (City of Oak Leaf, 2022). In this way, the city significantly stimulates residents to behave more safely when traveling.
Option 2
The policy in question also provides a system of responsibility for employees and their training, an auxiliary function aimed at increasing impact. Leading officials must bring subordinates’ attention to the obligation to follow the prescribed rule so that all city personnel can follow the rules, thereby setting an example for other city residents (City of Oak Leaf, 2022). This option is helpful because it provides a hierarchical system of responsibility assigned to managers who fail to ensure compliance with the law. Managers must also monitor their employees’ compliance with safety belt regulations (City of Oak Leaf, 2022). In addition, they have the right to impose disciplinary punishment in case of disobedience, which should become an additional motivational factor.
Recommendations
The policy under consideration in the context of ensuring public health was implemented to convince people to start using seat belts more actively. This is the safest way to help a person survive a car accident. The City of Oak Leaf has created a current and high-quality policy that can be improved by adding some elements. For example, one of the incentives for city officials and citizens may be the introduction of special bonuses. Recognition and rewards can help employees feel that they are making the right decisions by following the policy.
In addition, increasing reporting measures and writing explanatory letters for persons who have violated the requirements can complement existing standards. This should encourage more responsible behavior in which officials will better comply with regulations. The responsibility system can be expanded so that managers implement a full-fledged mentoring scheme. This way, employees can better understand the need for measures in the current city policy.
References
Briones Panadero, H. (2020). Analysis of the design of a car seatbelt: a study of the invention and a proposal to minimize the risk of injuries during pregnancy [Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology]. MIT. Web.
City of Oak Leaf. (2022). Oak Leaf adopts seatbelt resolution for city employees AND contractors. Web.
Febres, J. D., García-Herrero, S., Herrera, S., Gutiérrez, J. M., López-García, J. R., & Mariscal, M. A. (2020). Influence of seat-belt use on the severity of injury in traffic accidents. European transport research review, 12(1), 1-12. Web.