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Why it is essential to keep your car tidy

On Behalf of | Sep 18, 2020 | Car Accidents

When you imagine being injured in a car crash, you probably concentrate on the external elements. Being crushed by a toppling truck or smashed off the road by a drunk driver.

You may not realize that the things inside your car can be equally as dangerous as those outside. Sitting inside the average vehicle is a host of objects waiting to become ballistic missiles.

You do not have to crash for loose objects to become dangerous. Slamming on the brakes may halt your vehicle, but it will not stop unsecured items inside. They carry on traveling. That is why you wear a seat belt: it prevents you from flying through the windshield when the car stops. Unfortunately, all but the most organized drivers tend to travel with various loose items in their vehicles.

While being hit by your wife’s handbag does not sound deadly, if you recall physics lessons from school, Newton’s Laws of Motion show that how much something weighs is only part of the equation. The force an object hits you with also depends upon how fast it is moving. If you are driving at 50 mph and come to an abrupt halt, your wife’s handbag on the backseat could cause you or others in your vehicle serious injuries.

You cannot control the actions of other road users. There will always be a risk that a negligent driver injures you. What you can control are the objects inside your car. Use secure seat pockets or compartments to store smaller items. Consider using a cargo divider behind the rear seats to ensure the groceries, toolbox and other items remain in the rear of the car.