We also don't hand out driver's licenses left and right to anyone with the ability to find the correct pedals. From what I have seen in the states, you average bad swedish driver would be an american interstate wunderkind.
Road safety tips from Sweden
21–30 of 106 posts
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#22Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Greece you can buy little metal plugs for your sealtbelt socket so you don't have to use the seatbelt and don't get the error beeps from the car. I'm sure it does contribute to the fatality rate.
I don't get why anyone would want that. At no time in the two decades I've been driving a car, I've never, ever, ever thought to myself "This seatbelt is annoying, I wish I didn't have to use it." I don't even recall ever thinking that as a child passenger.
That is the normal response in countries that completed the cultural transition from 'no seatbelts' to 'never without a seatbelt', but not all countries started this transition at the same time, and some will take longer than others due to various cultural and political factors, such as the actual risk of getting fined for the offense and the effect of the publicity campaigns.
Not using a seatbelt was the norm only fifty years ago.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#23Here's a map that shows how many deaths in traffic are occuring per 1 million inhabitants in europe: https://etsc.eu/wp-content/uploads/map_twitter.png
In Greece you can buy little metal plugs for your sealtbelt socket so you don't have to use the seatbelt and don't get the error beeps from the car. I'm sure it does contribute to the fatality rate.
And in the US you can buy beer openers that fit in the seat-belt sockets when not in use.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#24Another way to reduce road accidents would be to reduce Americans' dependence on cars. Better for the environment too.
It's not dependence, it's preference. Americans (and most everyone else) like to control their 4-vecor.
It works both ways, if the majority drives then you are left with no infrastructure for people who don't drive, hence you become dependent on driving.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#25Pushing a big 3.5yo into a rear facing seat is hard, even in Sweden, and I doubt it's very common to keep kids rear facing up to 4 here. We do listen to authorities but it's nearly physically impossible after they reach a certain length. I believe most start using front facing seats some time between ages 3 and 4 depending on size. One problem with rear facing seats and large children is that it requires a LOT of spa…
It's "hard" if you make it. I worked as a cab driver (in Sweden) for a couple of years, and we offered free rear facing seats and boosters if kids were to ride. Actually, since it's the drivers responsibility, we didn't start the car unless all kids were strapped according to law.
Anyway. Kids would scream, fuss, battle, sometimes even while strapped in, and all the way until we arrived. Because they're kids. Some parents would try to soothe the kids, some would just ignore their fuss, and some would try to talk the driver/me out of using the seats.
The reasoning even among the parents that though "this is ridiculous, let me just hold the kid in my arms" was quite the same: We all knew that if something happened, the seats would likely be the difference of life and death for the kid. And thus, we just accepted that kids not wanting to be strapped is a part of life and had to be tolerated.
Not arguing against you here. I'm saying, yes, it's has difficulties, but the consequences of not using proper security is far worse.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't get why anyone would want that. At no time in the two decades I've been driving a car, I've never, ever, ever thought to myself "This seatbelt is annoying, I wish I didn't have to use it." I don't even recall ever thinking that as a child passenger.
That is the normal response in countries that completed the cultural transition from 'no seatbelts' to 'never without a seatbelt', but not all countries started this transition at the same time, and some will take longer than others due to various cultural and political factors, such as the actual risk of getting fined for the offense and the effect of the publicity campaigns. Not using a seatbelt was the norm only f…
I remember when we made the transition in my country, about 35 years ago. My mother was pissed off that the government forced her to use the seatbelt. She got herself a doctor note stating she couldn't use it for medical reasons... And a little more recently, people were complaining when we had to wear it on the rear seats, or in buses.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#27Here's a map that shows how many deaths in traffic are occuring per 1 million inhabitants in europe: https://etsc.eu/wp-content/uploads/map_twitter.png
In Greece you can buy little metal plugs for your sealtbelt socket so you don't have to use the seatbelt and don't get the error beeps from the car. I'm sure it does contribute to the fatality rate.
These are common in China, too.
What does Greece has that I've never seen in China? T-shirts that have a seat-belt design printed on them, to fool police officers from afar.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Greece you can buy little metal plugs for your sealtbelt socket so you don't have to use the seatbelt and don't get the error beeps from the car. I'm sure it does contribute to the fatality rate.
I don't get why anyone would want that. At no time in the two decades I've been driving a car, I've never, ever, ever thought to myself "This seatbelt is annoying, I wish I didn't have to use it." I don't even recall ever thinking that as a child passenger.
It's remarkably common in Greece - especially in the islands. My family lived there for 10 years, and I visited often. People would drive around with seatbelts left plugged in behind them, with the belt across their back. That included my parents, who would never dream of doing it in the UK (at least since the 80s).
It's a weird cultural thing
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Greece you can buy little metal plugs for your sealtbelt socket so you don't have to use the seatbelt and don't get the error beeps from the car. I'm sure it does contribute to the fatality rate.
And in the US you can buy beer openers that fit in the seat-belt sockets when not in use.
That strikes two flies with one clap.
Re: Road safety tips from Sweden
#30Pushing a big 3.5yo into a rear facing seat is hard, even in Sweden, and I doubt it's very common to keep kids rear facing up to 4 here. We do listen to authorities but it's nearly physically impossible after they reach a certain length. I believe most start using front facing seats some time between ages 3 and 4 depending on size. One problem with rear facing seats and large children is that it requires a LOT of spa…
Father of two twin kids at 3.5 years. Its not hard at all. They climb in themselves, and if u have a seat with adjustable iso-fix bars you get enough room for the front seats.
It likely depends on the size of the child, the type of seat and the type of car (how much space you can leave begind the seat as the child grows longer). With my second I got a better seat that probably added another 10cm.