entertainment

Taylor Swift called in by Toyota to help reduce traffic accident fatalities in Asia

12 Comments
By Cara Clegg

For many people around the world, it’s an automatic reaction to buckle up whenever you get into a vehicle. However there are still many countries where, despite having the laws in place, there isn’t much of an awareness of the tragic consequences failing to strap yourself in can have…that’s where Taylor Swift comes in.

In the UK, road safety organizations such as THINK! have drummed into us the importance of wearing a seat belt. However, there are still many countries where this is not a matter of common sense as it simply has not been ingrained in the national psyche.

In nearly all of the ASEAN countries surveyed in a study, more than half of people only use their seat belt when they’re in the front seats. This may make sense for Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam where seat belt laws only apply to people in the front seats, but it’s surprising that the proportions are generally the same for Malaysia and the Philippines which both have national seat belt laws that apply to all occupants of a vehicle. While laws might be the first step, they won’t go much further if people aren’t aware of them, or of the consequences of not complying.

Of course these statistics are formed from people’s personal answers, but the hard data also shows that traffic safety is a real issue in these areas. According to SEARO, the South-East Asia Regional Office for the World Health Organization, “Road traffic crashes accounted for 334,815 deaths in the South-East Asia Region during 2010, with the rate of 18.5 per 100,000 population.” All the laws in the world won’t do much good if they aren’t upheld, and SEARO admits that “overall enforcement of seat belt law is poor in the Region.”

The Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis in Japan claims that air bags are 15 times more effective in conjunction with a buckled seat belt, and with such a simple way of decreasing the chance of people dying a horrible death when they’re thrown head first through the windshield, it’s important to try and educate people.

In order to try and reduce the number of needless fatalities, and boost its corporate responsibility record in the process, Toyota is launching a road safety campaign in Southeast Asian countries aimed at increasing the use of seat belts among all vehicle passengers. Of course any self-respecting campaign needs a celebrity spokesperson, and Toyota have managed to hook fresh-faced darling-of-the-moment Taylor Swift.

Swift’s RED tour will be making its way around Southeast Asia this June, and with her legion of young fans what better way to get the message out than to broadcast a short and sweet video at the start of all her shows.

Sources: TOYOTA Global Newsroom, Be Safety Leaders, Global Health Observatory Data Repository, SEARO

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Buckle up, Japan! Survey shows only 68.2 percent of backseat passengers wear their seat belt -- Japan Gets Tough on Cyclists Violating Traffic Laws. Jail Sentence for Heavy Offenders? -- Going round in circles: Japan considers introducing roundabouts

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


12 Comments
Login to comment

It seems that countries with an overall 'lesser' grasp of life mainly due to a weak(er) education system have these 'crash test dummies' that feel they don't need to wear seat-belts in cars. The only thing that will change this attitude is education and for those who refuse that, maybe tasting the windscreen at survivable 20 or 30 km/h impact might just do the trick. Failing that... well, you can't fix stupid and hopefully they're too stupid to procreate.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I hope Toyota will also be inviting Ms Swift to Japan, where I've seen many a parent fail to buckle-up and also let their children freely roam around the car (from the back seats to the front) while zooming down the motorway at a jolly old pace.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I think it was fairly recently that here in Japan it became law that you have to wear a seatbelt in the back seats.......maybe 2-4yrs back

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Or how about a catchy phrase like "Not wearing your seat belt? What's stopping you?"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Here's an idea: forget about Swift and think about enforcing current laws. Better yet, forget about the complaints about inconvenience about having to buckle up leading to a mere one point taken off the license in rural areas for drivers and actually make penalties that matter. I can't tell you how sick I am about hearing of kids ejected from windows upon collisions, or people whining about safety belts in cars or on planes, etc.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

There are several things that need to be done in order to change the culture around seat belts.

1 Strong laws and educational campaigns

2 Strict enforcement of the law by police

3 Stiff penalties for violations--fines, higher insurance costs, impounding the car, losing licenses. We are talking about saving lives. Call it manslaughter by neglect--that's what it is.

4 No insurance compensation for anyone not wearing a seat belt and drivers who do not demand their passengers belt up.

5 Make the driver (taxi, mom, grandpa, whoever) responsible for ensuring that passengers are belted. They are not allowed to move the vehicle until everyone is belted.

6 Penalize (see #3) drivers who fail to ensure the safety of their passengers.

7 Review safety/education campaigns repeatedly and in a fresh manner so people don't slack off in seat belt use.

I can't tell you how many times I have had to dig around in the cracks of the back seat of a taxi for seat belts--especially 10-15 years ago--in Japan. (Not really a place you want to go exploring . . . )

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ms. Taylor Swift needs to give lecture demonstrations throughout Japan with slides of fatal collisions etc... demonstrating why little children should never be allowed to wander around freely in a car as it is moving (as you always seem to see them doing!!!!), and why little children should always be securely buckled into a child seat in the back (NOT the front seat for god's sake!!!) seat of a car.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@GW yes prior to 2008 it wasnt against the law to not wear a seat belt in the back seat!!. some of the worst injuries to front seat driver/passenger during an impact is the back seat passengers smashing into to front seats when theyre not wearing a seat belt. the added force to the body causes much more severe internal injuries. so if your driving a car always insure your passengers are wearing a seat belt, especially the one sitting behind you.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Another example of how dumber down society has become. always need a celeb to prmote a message.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Public informational campaigns is the way to go with these types of things. Laws telling adults to do as big brother tells them to do is just plain wrong. I think wearing a seat belt is good common sense and a good habit for each time a person rides in a vehicle. Taylor Swift will do a great public service. Leave the police state out of it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Public informational campaigns is the way to go with these types of things. Laws telling adults to do as big brother tells them to do is just plain wrong. ...Leave the police state out of it.

oh dear.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Toyota's "corporate responsibility" record? What a hoot. The acknowledged crook is now being allowed to ignore compelling evidence of electronic defects in its throttle control. Meanwhile, vehicle crashes bearing the earmarks of electronically-induced unintended acceleration continue, and NASA physicist Henning Leidecker is warning of increased risk of electronically-induced unintended acceleration in '02-'06 Camrys. Toyota's corporate IRRESPONSIBLILTY record would be more like it. I've been blogging about the Recall King for quite some time - search "Beware of Toyota. Their next victim may be YOU..."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites