Shocking Facts on Vehicle Safety (I): Seatbelts Part 1

1. Many people believe that in road traffic accident, speeding is the main factor of killing people, or simply can be put in a better statement, “speeding your vehicle will speed your life”.

2. That is not 100% true because in fact, it is NOT speed that kills, but actually is the SUDDENT STOP. Why? Let’s take an example.

3. A red car is driving 120km/h and then suddenly lost control and went to the side of road, and fortunately the side has a long wall. The car is hitting the wall (not head on), and dragging along the wall. After 50 meters, the car stopped and what do you think the luck of the driver?

4. Ok another example, might be some of you is lucky enough experience this or ever heard of the case. A blue car traveling along the highway at 120km/h and suddenly out of nowhere got hit from the back by an unknown vehicle. The blue car spun and went turtle, dragged on the road for about 60 meters. Assuming both drivers wear the seatbelt. What happen to the drivers?

5. The answer for both cases is they still alive because they told you the story! How could dead men tell you the story right? “Hmm bro, I think you are a little bit away from main point, what are you trying to say by giving those examples?” Be patient.

6. Now let’s look on a case where head on collision, a red car at the speed of 120km/h hit head on with a blue car at the speed of any (could be 50, 100, or 120). Bang! After the collision both are stopped, immediately less than a second. From the outside we could see the event like it’s just in a blink an eye. Suddenly the occupants in blood and the cars wrecked like hell.

7. Let’s see this video from Youtube on the movement of the occupants in a slow motion.

8. From the video above, in a split second we could see that the man that not wearing rear seatbelt hitting hard all other occupants who wear the seatbelts and this happen very fast and only in milliseconds. When the rescuer or public people come to see, the position of the occupants is just like before the impact.

9. The flying unbelted man is coming back to his seat like nothing is happening, and "looks very cute where he lean on her gf shoulder". What they didn’t know is during those micro seconds, everything is happening.

10. They might asked, “How this women bloody injured? She sat on her seat and belted too, doesn’t make any sense she could be injured like that”. How? Why? What? All those are commonly asked; even the investigation police officer has pain in the ass to figure things out.

11. Those people didn’t know, but now you know it and you should start now to wear the seatbelt. Even only one person inside the vehicle do not wear the seatbelt, she/he could become hazardous to your safety.

12. Thus, your responsibility is not only to wear the seatbelt but to remind occupants in the car to wear it too.

13. All the drivers should bear the responsible for this. Please read My Rear Seatbelt Post on how other occupants could kill you during the crash. Before starting any journey, especially long distance journey, please ensure that all the occupants inside the vehicle is belted.

14. You might be thinking, I am a safe driver, possibilities for me to involve in accident is very low. You are wrong! Anything could be happening on roads, you know, they are lots of idiots out there. Prevention is better than cure, as I could say.

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..

When the Road is Badly Made

1. Last week I got this email and found it quite interesting fact about our new upgraded PLUS highway. To be truth, I experienced the uncomfortable feeling too, driving at stated upgraded highway and when I checked our crash database, for some reason many fatal accidents occured along this stretch (approximately Rawang - Tapah) after the new 3-lane-highway opened up. Here is the email I got, I think its quite good to share.

I am a frequent user of our North-South Expressway and I have this IMPORTANT experience to highlight and share:-

I was driving back to Penang yesterday afternoon (24 June 08) when I saw the unfortunate accident in the opposite direction involving the passenger bus that skidded and overturned at Tanjung Malim. I didn't know that the skidded bus was from hometown Penang untill I watched TV3 news later in the evening and was shocked to learn that the accident took two lives.

Now, this is what I need to share:-

I am a building contractor with over twenty years of experience and I have been driving my 5 series BMW (latest generation and a dammed solid road holding car) each time
I travelled to KL. Lately, the new extended 3 lanes highway had been opened up for use and since then, I have also been using it quite oftenly.

HOWEVER, when I used it each time it is WET, I can really 'feel' that the new road surface is extremely SLIPPERY! To share with some of you, my car comes with a built-in traction control mechanism (skidding prevention mechanism) and you can feel it each time it is activated. Previously, I don't come across this kind of slippery feel except when I drive over a paddle of water at certain speed.

From my observation as a building contractor, the 'wearing course' of the new road surface could be TOO FINE OR TOO SMOOTH and TOTALLY UNSUITABLE for highway use!
The wearing course (top premix layer) mix design for highways should be of minimum 20mm coarse aggregate mix that will give us the required bond between the surface and our tyres. Fine wearing course (14mm coarse aggregate size and below) is only suitable for normal road. (A proper test need to be carried out to determine the mix design of the wearing course).
Since the opening of the three lanes highway, I had seen cars skidding in front me or in the opposite direction and approximately 2 weeks ago, one of my friends who is also a frequent user of our NSE, came to share with me about his slippery feeling as well as the many skidded cars he had seen lately.

I am highlighting this to TV3 and The Star with the hope that a thourough investigation could be carried out immediately to find out how or what causes the bus to skid. A proper and independent test need to be carried out urgently to determine the design mix of the wearing course. THIS CAN SAVE LIVES.

2. Here is the Youtube link that justified about the technology he talked about in the email. From now on, I'll not driving fast at the stretch, especially during wet time and I hope you will do the same. And dont forget to tell your friend and family about this.

3. This is the event when the make of highway involved lots of bribes and such. When the accident occur, people might blame thats the driver's fault, but actually it is not 100% true.

4. The fault is big portionly thanks to the maker of the highway and the people who involve in the build. "I want to get this contract", "Give me 10%", "Ok, you got it", "Hey I wont approve the project, but 5% will do it", "Ok, you got it"..the contractor is then calculating, "Damn, I wont make any profit at this rate, I'll use crappy materials, so that I can profit too" This is how the tragedy begins..

5. Its kinda unfair if just blaming without suggesting any improvement. For my opinion, to remake or redo the badly made highway will of course eating a lot of efforts and money.

6. So that is definitely not the best solution. Since this problem frequently happening during raining/wet time, so it is best if the authorities could make something like signage on this problematic stretch. The signage must be visible during the heavy rain and must be made as frequent as possible. Such as "Be Careful during the rain", "Speed up, and your life will be sped up too" and such.

7. Huhu I think languange people is better on this. But the point is put signages as many as we can on this strecth so that people will know. And of course, after 10 years time, hopefully there is no such thing as bribe or misconduct of power during highway remade..

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..

A Mystery of the Snail Without Shell - Part 1

1. I'm suddenly wondering why our prophet (p.b.u.h) suggested for a single person who still not married yet due some reason (not enough money, or no girlfriend, or etc), to fasting during the day. When I'm thinking about it, whoever fasting during the day, his/her deeds will become 7x greater.

2. Meanwhile, for married person, whether he/she fast or not, already their deeds are 7x greater and will be much greater if fasting (I'm so jealous on this fact, thats why I want getting married quickly waaaa). hmm. Well, to become fair, a single person need to fasting, and share equally greater deeds with married persons. Huhu.

3. Plus, during normal day, when u eat, u feel full because one of your desire is satisfied, this will make another desire wants their share, in particular sexual desire. Well, I can say that eating is very basic thing human needs to live.

4. So by fasting, you will lock your stomach, which implicitly also locking the other desire which will come after. So fasting is indeed best medicine for a single person to sustain him/her from doing something foolish and forbidden. So what are you waiting for? Lets fasting. huhu. Actually this is just like an intro only. The thing that I want to talk about is about a mystery of snail without shell.


5. The mystery started when one day I found some kind of sticky fluid inside on top of the carpet floor. And not only on the floor, also at window curtain. Before I left the room, no such thing as those things anywhere in the room. I thot its probably because of the cold weather outside and makes the composition of humidity inside the room to freeze.

6. Oh by the way, this story happened at my rental house at UK. And I have 2 rooms. One room to sleep and one room to surf the internet and working with my laptop. And this incident happened inside my working room.

7. So I cleaned them up and treat is as nothing happened. On the next day, when I got back to the room, I found the same again. Bah..My curiousity asked me to take the case and investigate it. And after a few days, no sign of the sticky liquid. Seems like the thing probably senses that Im looking for it. And I forgot about it and life went like a normal one.


8. One day, I just back from visiting London. The return journey was really a nightmare. If I have a time, I'll spin the yarn about the experience huhu. But I want to focus on this mystery first.

9. I arrived home very late. After cleaning up my body and after Isyak solah, while waiting for the fajar prayer (which is 2.30am) I went to the working room sat on the floor, surfing internet, suddenly I'm feeling uncomfortable with my kain pelekat, there are like wet thing under.

10. Hmm do i dream something pleasureable?? Impossible because Im not even sleep haha. Then I stand up with interest..Oh dang!! Gross! What's the heck is this???!!

What is Actually Happening? To be Continued...

Missing. Is Somebody Missing Me?

1. I dunno who wrote this glommy poem. Might as well I dunno that probably this is just a song..but whenever I look and read it, its just too sad.

2. For somebody who missed somebody. People who missed their loved ones. People that I kinda indirectly encounter frequently during my crash investigation work. People who lost their loved ones in an road accidents.

3. I understand the feeling very well. Indeed. As I'm one of them. Missing somebody. Missing my loved ones badly. Hope they are doing well in there. Al Fatihah.

Please, please forgive me, but I wont't be home again,
maybe someday you'll look up,
and barely concious you'll say to no one : Isn't something missing?''

You won't cry for my absence,
I know, you forgot me long ago,
am I that not important..?,
am I so insignificant...?
Isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?

Though I'm the sacrifice,
you won't try for me, not now.
Though I'd die to know you love me,
I'm all alone,
Isn't someone missing me?

Please, please forgive me,
but I won't be home again,
I know what you do to yourself,
I breathe deep and cry out,
isn't something missing?
Isn't someone missing me?"

And If I bleed, I'll bleed,
knowing you don't care,
and if I sleep just to dream of you,
I'll wake without you there,
Isn't something missing? Isn't something.

4. Might be one day it will be me. Yes, sooner or later. Following them. However, the question is, Will somebody missing me?? I just feel very regret if when I were gone, I'm still single, not married yet huhuhu..

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..

Road Crash Investigation 1001: Part 1

1. A friend of mine, while we are concentrating on taking data for delta-V calculation, A.Rahmat had suddenly snapped me, "Hey dudeee, you know what, long time ago about 1400 years ago, there was an expert who can follow the trace of any animals or anything that travelling in the desert".

2. Wowahhh! "But I forgot lah what is his name.." Pewhhh, doesnt matter lah bro, lets assume his name is Labu ok? "Whatever lah.." Regardless of the matter, he is continuing the story. Cheh, that's A.Rahmat, knowing no stop if ever started something hehe. "Well, that Labu guy was being chosen by Mecca Quraisy people to use his expertise to track our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) who at that time, was migrating from Mecca to the south (Yemen), towards Gua Tsur".

3. From Wiki-Pedia-Tuh, I just know that this Labu guy is actually really really genius guy. You know why? There was a case where from unknown trace on the desert ground, he knew that the trace was coming from a one-sided blind camel together with a cripple puppy!!

4. This guy is really a hustler in his proficiency!! Just imagine, on the desert where there will be no fixed geography, and with the terrain keep changing (because of the winds), Labu still can do his job wisely. See how hustler he was back then. In the sirah, the prophet (p.b.u.h) reported had to tiptoeing in the efforts to leaving no trails behind.

5. What happen next bro? "Well duudee, actually I just want to hook you up with interesting introduction, things that I really want to tell you is in the crash site, even though not in the desert, actually there are traces that we can get and intrepet or benefits from those, and it is called skid mark". Wow you sound like Labu lah bro hehe. Please proceed bro, I'm listening.

6. "Old news paper!! Old news paperrrr!! Tilam pun bolehhhh" Heloo apek, do you know what is skid marks? "Aiyaaa skid mark ka, easy looo, you CSI pun dunno ka? Aiyaaa, skid mark itu rubber from the tyre sticks on the ground when you push your break hard laaa, thats why ade marks itu black dark on the road".

7. That's what my first thinking when I first join the investigation team, however popular belief is not always right. Is that right A.Rahmat? "Yeah, apek is wrong. skid mark is actually coming from instaneous heating to the bitumen itself". "Aiyaaa, what is bitumen u guys talking? like ultramen ka?" No lah apek, bitumen is materials used for paving roads. And the skid mark is not always dark/black, because in some rare cases, there are also white skid mark. But according to A.Rahmat, it is really a rare case. "Good good, now I know la"

8. Is this skid mark really significant in crash investigation? We all have seen, if you observing enough, lots of skid marks on our roads. In most cases you can just ignore the marks, if only you just passer by.

9. How about for crash investigator or police? "Well, For those kind of people, in the case of pedestrian crash, skid mark was really important as it is mainly used to determine whether the car was actually breaking before the impact or not. This is to establish whether the driver was purposely hitting the pedestrian or merely a regular pedestrian crash". Quite complicated huh but very promising method in court.

10. Mat, how many types of skid mark we could see on road eh. "There are many types of skid marks. There are regular skid mark, yaw mark, accelaration scuff, imprint, kink, crook, and many more which is beyond discussion here.

11. Every single of them carries different meaning and different intepretation. All these stuffs are useful in the court on prosecuting someone on aggrasive driving". Oh, so many things to learn eh, on next section, you have to tell me about those things. Dun skip skip eh like this time.

12. You know what peeps, my current research is now to solve crash compatibility issue between light and heavy vehicles. When brainstorming the ideas with Dr. Ali, an expert in crash analysis from UK, i come up with something about to hardened to front of light vehicles.

13. Well logically speaking, the transfer energy between those same stiff parts wud benefits light vehicle. But he was not agree with my idea. You know why? Mat, how bout you tell us. Ok? "Ok sure fren, well, most pedestrian died in the crashes due to hitting stiffer part of the bonnet.

14. If you aware enough..some cars have engine under the bonnet, and some not, just empty...hmm and this empty space bonnet is usually less stiff compared to those that have engine inside..so if our head hitting this stiff part, what do you think will happen? Your life wont be long for sure, especially if you hit A-Pillar.

15. But, there are some cases people can survive, probably they managed to hit windscreen instead of the stiffer parts. Plus, different gait analysis (the way the pedestrian walk during the hit) does effect how that unfortunate guy being thrown away after the hit. You got it bro?" Yeah. How bout you guys? Not like rocket science eh. Easy, piece of cake. In no time, I believe you can just understand things like that.

16. Anything more you want to add bro? Faster, coz we have to finish collecting data for these crashed vehicles. "Let me see, hmmm oh one more thing, from oil spill, we cud know where is rest position of the car. Usually at the point of impact, there are pool of oil, and will move down to side of the road".

17. Ewwwwww so creepy! So you implied that the oil substance can move around? Wowahhh. "No lah bro, that because the road is actually designed like that, 5% gradient at the middle so that the water from the rain will go down to lower area which is side of the road and not pooling at the middle of road., got it?". Yeah bro. Crystal clear hehe.

18. Ok we better finish this job, the sun already hitting my skin hard. See it turn dark! Arghh my bright skin turning darkk!! Bright la sgttttttttt hahahahahah. Thx to A.Rahmat for sharing this knowledge with us.

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..

How We Could Lighten the Severity of the Crash?

Hey folks, if u are aware of the news, about 3 months ago, a crash happened between a 4WD and a car in a road construction area.

1. "Err did you say road contruction area where usually the location shud be barricaded and managed properly?!!" Yeah absolutely. "Why so?". Hmm how shud i put this eh. I think you can try ask our dear ex-minister of Public Works. He quite free at the moment as I heard. But things happen. I'll talk about construction traffic management matter later on. But lets focus on how we could lighten the severity of the crash.

(Courtesy to Local News)

2. "How many fatalities on this wreckage?" Syuhh, be patient. I'm about to say it. 2 died (from the car), 3 severely injured and 1 just so and so only on this crash. (Lets pray in silence for the victims....).

3. Two were dead due to having severe head injury and of course, from the post-inspection, the driver and the front passenger of the car didnt buckle up the seat belt resulting being partially ejected and get contacted with intrusion of the damage.

4. Well, if they were using the seatbelt, nothing much can be done, the survivability space was very tight already coz the accident involving crash compatibility issue and i'll talk about this matter later on too hehe.

5. Actually on this entry, I still want to talk about rear seatbelt. There is a saying that hit it while its hot.

6. From the picture (4WD interior), we can see the reality during the crash. The rear passenger, lets say his name is X, was not buckled up and during the crash was thrown forward and hit the back seat of Y, who was a driver.

7. Y's head instantly hit the steering wheel and bleeding profusely even Y was using his seatbelt. Fortunately, he made it to be still alive. You know why? "Yeah now i know, coz X from the back become an elephant and load the frontal seat, oh the impact also made the seat's anchorage failed and locked the driver into tight space.

8. Also, if we see from picture from the news, the crumple zone of 4WD still far from the driver, and logically he was not supposed to be injured so badly, am I right?" Wooowww, after one entry only, you already become an expert, good good..and that's indeed correct.

9. So how about the prevention action so that the event, which almost take Y's life wont happen again in the future? "Hmm what eh?" Sudah Gaharu Cendana Pula, Sudah Tahu Bertanya Pula, Cmon dudeee, i know you got the answer already, speak it up please, dun bother with people out there who still cant accept that, the most important thing you got it.

10. So? "Errr sorry to people-so-called-anti-rearseatbelt, i have to tell the truth, rear seatbelt cannot always save life..........but it can reduce the severity of injuries that will lead to death of front passenger and yourself" Good, I think I'll just make you host of this entry.

11. "In short, take care of yourself and a person in front of you by wearing rear seatbelt"

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..

Why We Need Rear Seatbelts?

The topic is hot debate at the moment, so i have decide to give my 2 cents on the matter. Why rear seatbelts?

We do not want to be a killer.

1. Do you want to be one? Sure not, if you asked the same question to those who have been sent to the jail because of murder, big portion of them will say NO too unless in desperate situation.

2. They do not have choice but we have choice. Are we? "What the heck are you talking about, what is the relationship between killing and rear seatbelt. I dun see anything that relates them together!"

3. Hear this brother, my friend, my malaysian guy..During the crash, our weight will not be the same as we involve in quite significant high G. It has been said that our weight will be 40 times greater than normal during the impact. If lets say ur weight is 60kg, you will be like 2400 kg. Yes, you would be like an elephant during that time. Is an elephant weight is 2400kg?? I'll check it later. But the point is that such a great impulse force and it happens instantly. Don't trust me? see this picture:

4. Who do you think that do that kind of deformation on front seat?? Still don't trust me? See next:

5. Those effects solely can be done during the crash impact. Now you should imagine what happen to those who sit on the front seat that has been loaded with an elephant. So you still want to say that you are not a killer?? So buckle up at the back. And you could save your loved one.

We don't want to get killed.

6. Anyone here want to get killed? Yeah, if we talked about distressful and misery people who want to commit suicide, there are high chance of it. But the question is are we distressful kind of people? I'm sure not, at least that what I believe.

7. Thus, we have to value our life more. "Wait wait bro, please wait bro, so you imply that I do not value my life on road eh. I bought among the safest vehicle in the era and u said I do not take safety as my priority??!" No lah, that's not my intention. Ya'know, even the safest car can't always avoid casualities.

8. My intention is if we had slightest chance that we could save at least 1 life, we should go for it. Here is where rear seatbelt could save some life. Ah maybe you still dun understand, let me show you some picture of a case of my many cases to explain things.

9. This is a picture of among the safest vehicle on earth getting hit by a lorry. What can I say? The Toyota Harrier had 5 passengers including drivers. All 5 dead on the crash.

10. It is not my intention to deny God's will, but IMO, at least 1 person could be saved because she was located on survavibility space and quite far from the impact/crumpled zone only IF she wear rear seatbelt that would grip and get hold her. Let me show you how seatbelt could save life.

11. Watch the location of the passengers. Some of them are out of the damage profile and could be saved if they are hold on their position (by using rear seatbelt of course). However on this case, all three rear passengers were not buckle up even tho in the quite safe vehicle which provides rear seatbelt.

12. So think about it and value your life more by using rear seatbelt. Not every life can be saved, but we have to move forward to reduce the percent of fatalities on road. There is a saying, "Sediakan Payung Sebelum Hujan", which can be translated as an ACTION should be taken to secure our safety on roads and buckle up rear seatbelts are one of that many actions.

Don't you agree? Feel free to add and comments..