Heaven Can Wait... so wear your seatbelt
And now it's time your friendly Autoblog PSA. Martijn over at Fresh Creation ran across this very convincing commercial on YouTube that espouses the life saving benefits of wearing one's seatbelt. Does anybody not wear a seatbelt nowadays? (As of 2001, 73 percent of people in the U.S. were buckling up.) I can still remember a time when it wasn't cool to strap in, but enough berating by the parents and my first time out on a racetrack was enough to change my mind and make it stick. Seriously, regardless of whether your car has two, four or ten airbags plus a collision avoidance system, a seatbelt is your best bet in an accident.
The commercial is beautifully done, though perhaps a bit morbid. For any of you seatbelt strapping stragglers out there, hopefully it does the trick.
[Source: YouTube via FreshCreation]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
HT 10:21AM (8/31/2006)
This is a beatufil commercial I think, I've seen it severeal times here in Norway and now it seems like other countries are broadcasting it, and that is a good thing.
Reply
mikomi 10:04AM (8/30/2006)
I certainly hope more people get the message. My cousin lost his life in a similar way as in the commercial.
I don't understand the reasoning for not wearing a seatbelt, is it a macho thing? an ego thing? forgetfulness? it's inconvenient?
Putting on a seatbelt should be second nature. Personally I find rather uncomfortable to not wear a seatbelt when I'm behind the wheel.
Reply
Ferguson McSqueege 10:03AM (8/30/2006)
I always wear my seatbelt. It's all about simple physics.
Reply
jim 10:08AM (8/30/2006)
Please don't enourage the slackers: these are not the types of people we want to reproduce anyway.
j i m
Reply
Chris 10:18AM (8/30/2006)
Well done! We would never see this on public TV here in the US, which is unfortunate, w/o big money from a sponsor.
I for one feel the seatbelt completes the driving experience. Forget the safety factor; bouncing around the cockpit of a 330 ruins the driving feel...being strapped to the seat gives me a lot more confidence and feel for what the machine is doing.
Reply
Carchops 10:26AM (8/30/2006)
that was amazingly well done. and very good.
It's one of those kinda shock-value type commercials that really stick with most people.
Job well done
http://www.carchops.com
Reply
killbill 10:36AM (8/30/2006)
As long as it's the looney libs not wearing seat belts (they probably don't because wearing seatbelts is a conservative thing) then I am ok with them not wearing them.
Reply
Shawn 10:37AM (8/30/2006)
A reason not to wear seatbelt? Suicide. I don't understand why suicide is a crime.
Reply
Hamud 10:50AM (8/30/2006)
For me, wearing the seatbelt is something automatic, i get into the car and first thing to do is put it on. Is safe for me and for all inside the vehicle.
Reply
Jimmy C 11:13AM (8/30/2006)
Hey! I'm a slacker and I wear a seatbelt. So y'all have to deal with me until I fall on a power drill or something.
I'm suprised I wear a belt at all, given how my parents used to just throw us kids in the back of our van and let us run around wherever. But in all honesty, I feel completely naked without it -- I have friends who never wear their belts and it drives me nuts.
Reply
arnie 11:43AM (8/30/2006)
Suicide? If you can call killing others suicide I guess. Check this one out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA1hwjBJS5E
Reply
David 12:12PM (8/30/2006)
Killbill,
It's the so called "loony libs" who drive Volvos (safety pioneer), Subarus (standard allwheel drive), Saturns (steel spaceframe) and all those Honda minivans with child car seats. They wear seatbelts too.
Reply
Jim 12:21PM (8/30/2006)
I haven't seen this commercial in years - easily one of the best PSA's I had ever seen. I remember when it first came out, a few groups where upset with the commercial - but that seems to happen with any commercial.
Jim
Reply
DC_1 1:36PM (8/30/2006)
Even if the car is in park I must have my seat belt on. I find that if you wear it all the time it becomes second nature. This is a great commercial. Needs to be played in the US.
Reply
Eric L. 1:11PM (8/30/2006)
Great commercial.
I'm surprised we haven't had a wacko post here about how not wearing a seatbelt will "throw them clear of the vehicle" in a severe accident. I always love hearing that one.
Reply
Asher 1:21PM (8/30/2006)
http://www.devilducky.com/media/50123/
http://www.devilducky.com/media/29124/
"Speeding Hurts"
Reply
UK-KID 2:11PM (8/30/2006)
I was quite shocked when I viewed this commercial.
You see I had my first crash in the same model vehicle (Gold 1992 Golf Conv 1.8 GTI Rivage ). Up until Jan 13 1998 I thought i was invicible and only used SeatBelts on the Motorways but on that fateful Jan night i had 2 Female Friends in the car with me. While travelling at about 60mph I was Sideswiped by a Lady who decided to turn without Signalling or Checking her Rear View Mirrors, My car was shoved sideways and I Slammed Head On into a Tree.
My front Passenger was lucky She had her Seatbelt on, she was Badly Shaken but was OK, Her Cousin who was sat behind her did not have her Seatbelt on and suffered a Fractured Hip and caused a bit of bruising to her cousin Up Front when she Flew Foward On Impact.
I did not have my Seatbelt on and While the steering Wheel Prevented Me from Flying Through the Windscreen Completly, The Centre of the Wheel Broke My Chest Plate (Momo 3-Spoke with no Airbag), My Forehead Still Bears The Scars From Destroying The Windscreen and the Strenghtning Beam that runs the lenght of the Lower Dashboard in that model Broke my Left Shin.
I consider myself Real Fortunate to still be here today and ANYTIME i am in a vehicle, as soon as it begins to move, I BUCKLE UP !!
Reply
Corey W. 2:11PM (8/30/2006)
"As long as it's the looney libs not wearing seat belts (they probably don't because wearing seat belts is a conservative thing) then I am ok with them not wearing them."
WTF!! You're saying Liberals don't want to wear seat belts?? Using you as an example, retardation must be a conservative thing to.
Actually, this may sound stupid, but outside of child safety regulations (child seats, boosters...etc) Why is there an established law for wearing seat belts?
BTW: I've never driven without my seat belt, but it's never been out of fear of getting a ticket or not being cool, more so....common sense.
Again, just wondering, you can get hurt really bad or die from hitting yourself in the head with a hammer, but there's no laws against that.
Reply
DPC car videos 4:54PM (8/30/2006)
I wear my seatbelt no matter what even in a backseat or in a parking garage.
Reply
paco 3:25PM (8/30/2006)
what is sad is that here in cincinnati, the % of people who do not wear a belt is like 40%. that is a figure i remember from some place. do not quote me. but it's crazy, 75-80 mph on a commute, cell in one had, smoke in the other, and not wearing a belt. i just hope they don't take some one out with them.
Reply