Value Of Seatbelts Highlighted After Crash Which Claimed Four Lives
Bumhee Cho, 23, Junwoo Park, 20, Sangseo Kim, 16, and Hyunseo Han, 17, died after the vehicle they were in collided with another car on State Highway 79 near Geraldine in August last year. Three of the men died on impact and another died in December following severe injuries he suffered.
Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale, in her findings made available today, said that it was clear from the evidence of the pathologists and the crash analyst that the injuries sustained by these young men were made considerably worse because they were not wearing seatbelts.
Additional evidence to that effect was supplied by the other motorist that they struck in this head-on crash: he was wearing a seatbelt and was restrained within the cab of his vehicle. He was injured, but not fatally injured.
The coroner reinforced the message to motorists: always wear your seatbelt, whether you are the driver or passenger, as seatbelts save lives.
Director of Land Transport Brent Alderton says the coroner's message about the value of seatbelts may be familiar, but it is an important reminder.
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Since 2020 there has been a steady increase in deaths and serious injuries where people have not been wearing seatbelts on New Zealand roads. NZTA is currently targeting the issue as part of its road safety marketing campaign: Seatbelts campaign: Warmer seatbelt warnings | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
'Whatever the cause of a crash, the evidence shows that one of the best things you can do to prevent death or serious injury is to wear your seatbelt,' Mr Alderton says.
Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of drivers and passengers being killed or seriously injured by about 40 per cent. If everyone wore their seatbelts, an estimated 25 lives could be saved in road crashes every year.
Notes:
When driving, the car and the people inside have kinetic energy which is generated by the speed that you're travelling at. When a car comes to a stop, the kinetic energy must be transferred somewhere. In a gradual or sudden stop, the energy is transferred to the brakes which causes the vehicle to slow down and stop.
Seatbelts are designed to help absorb the kinetic energy in a crash or sudden stop and prevent you from continuing to move forward. A seatbelt, when worn properly, will spread the stopping force across areas of your body that are strong enough to provide resistance such as your chest and pelvis.
The force on the seatbelt can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you'd hit the inside of your vehicle without your seatbelt on.
More about seatbelts and their benefits can be found at: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/seatbelts/.
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New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is endorsing a coroner's message about the critical difference that wearing seatbelts can make, following findings on a crash that claimed the lives of four young South Korean skiers in South Canterbury last year. Bumhee Cho, 23, Junwoo Park, 20, Sangseo Kim, 16, and Hyunseo Han, 17, died after the vehicle they were in collided with another car on State Highway 79 near Geraldine in August last year. Three of the men died on impact and another died in December following severe injuries he suffered. Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale, in her findings made available today, said that it was clear from the evidence of the pathologists and the crash analyst that the injuries sustained by these young men were made considerably worse because they were not wearing seatbelts. Additional evidence to that effect was supplied by the other motorist that they struck in this head-on crash: he was wearing a seatbelt and was restrained within the cab of his vehicle. He was injured, but not fatally injured. The coroner reinforced the message to motorists: always wear your seatbelt, whether you are the driver or passenger, as seatbelts save lives. Director of Land Transport Brent Alderton says the coroner's message about the value of seatbelts may be familiar, but it is an important reminder. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading Since 2020 there has been a steady increase in deaths and serious injuries where people have not been wearing seatbelts on New Zealand roads. NZTA is currently targeting the issue as part of its road safety marketing campaign: Seatbelts campaign: Warmer seatbelt warnings | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi 'Whatever the cause of a crash, the evidence shows that one of the best things you can do to prevent death or serious injury is to wear your seatbelt,' Mr Alderton says. Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of drivers and passengers being killed or seriously injured by about 40 per cent. If everyone wore their seatbelts, an estimated 25 lives could be saved in road crashes every year. Notes: When driving, the car and the people inside have kinetic energy which is generated by the speed that you're travelling at. When a car comes to a stop, the kinetic energy must be transferred somewhere. In a gradual or sudden stop, the energy is transferred to the brakes which causes the vehicle to slow down and stop. Seatbelts are designed to help absorb the kinetic energy in a crash or sudden stop and prevent you from continuing to move forward. A seatbelt, when worn properly, will spread the stopping force across areas of your body that are strong enough to provide resistance such as your chest and pelvis. The force on the seatbelt can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you'd hit the inside of your vehicle without your seatbelt on. More about seatbelts and their benefits can be found at:
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Press Release – NZ Transport Agency Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of drivers and passengers being killed or seriously injured by about 40 per cent. If everyone wore their seatbelts, an estimated 25 lives could be saved in road crashes every year. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is endorsing a coroner's message about the critical difference that wearing seatbelts can make, following findings on a crash that claimed the lives of four young South Korean skiers in South Canterbury last year. Bumhee Cho, 23, Junwoo Park, 20, Sangseo Kim, 16, and Hyunseo Han, 17, died after the vehicle they were in collided with another car on State Highway 79 near Geraldine in August last year. Three of the men died on impact and another died in December following severe injuries he suffered. Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale, in her findings made available today, said that it was clear from the evidence of the pathologists and the crash analyst that the injuries sustained by these young men were made considerably worse because they were not wearing seatbelts. Additional evidence to that effect was supplied by the other motorist that they struck in this head-on crash: he was wearing a seatbelt and was restrained within the cab of his vehicle. He was injured, but not fatally injured. The coroner reinforced the message to motorists: always wear your seatbelt, whether you are the driver or passenger, as seatbelts save lives. Director of Land Transport Brent Alderton says the coroner's message about the value of seatbelts may be familiar, but it is an important reminder. Since 2020 there has been a steady increase in deaths and serious injuries where people have not been wearing seatbelts on New Zealand roads. NZTA is currently targeting the issue as part of its road safety marketing campaign: Seatbelts campaign: Warmer seatbelt warnings | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi 'Whatever the cause of a crash, the evidence shows that one of the best things you can do to prevent death or serious injury is to wear your seatbelt,' Mr Alderton says. Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of drivers and passengers being killed or seriously injured by about 40 per cent. If everyone wore their seatbelts, an estimated 25 lives could be saved in road crashes every year. Notes: When driving, the car and the people inside have kinetic energy which is generated by the speed that you're travelling at. When a car comes to a stop, the kinetic energy must be transferred somewhere. In a gradual or sudden stop, the energy is transferred to the brakes which causes the vehicle to slow down and stop. Seatbelts are designed to help absorb the kinetic energy in a crash or sudden stop and prevent you from continuing to move forward. A seatbelt, when worn properly, will spread the stopping force across areas of your body that are strong enough to provide resistance such as your chest and pelvis. The force on the seatbelt can be as much as 20 times your weight – this is how hard you'd hit the inside of your vehicle without your seatbelt on. More about seatbelts and their benefits can be found at: .
