Who really is responsible for auto accidents, Man or Machine?

Unless you have been sub-existing under a rock the passed couple days, then I'm sure you heard of the traffic mishap that claimed the lives of a beloved minister along with his wife and son on the Abuja - Kaduna expressway
(May they find peace in the eternal bosom of the Almighty). Since the occurrence, I've heard questions posited as to what may have gone wrong. These questions may sadly never know answers. I myself have traveled that expressway countless times (recently for a wedding even) so to a degree, I know said expressway is in good order so this fatal accident most likely can be summed up to human error or negligence; No offense to the driver who is the only survivor although still in intensive care (My prayers go out to him). I say error or negligence because after a lengthy discussion with a friend to the blog Benjamin Adick, I realize how careless many of us car owners are. We take so many things for granted in our quest to desist from parting with that hard earned cash. Understandable but in the long run unwise. News flash, your life is immeasurable in any and every currency. Agreed in these parts, the elite (aka Political figures) are known to fork out tiny fortunes for their comforts so this cannot apply right? Bare in mind the elite mostly contract out the acquiring of their acquisitions so someone could be making a quick buck and unknowingly endangering their lives in the process so it still applies. So the friend I had that discussion with sent this easy to miss but if you know what to look for, could go a long way fact sheet to me and I decided to share here.


Seat-belts 101: Seat-belts are simply restrainers'. If a car is moving at 150km/hr, all the passenger's in the car are also moving at the same 150km/hr.. If you are wearing your seat-belts and the car hits a rock, the car stops immediately and so also you because you are restrained by the seat-belt to the body of the car. But if you are not wearing it, (Newton's laws of motion works on you) Now, while the car stops immediately, you will proceed on 150km/hr. At that moment the windshield cannot stop you. That's why you hear people say he flew out of the car.

Airbags 101: The airbags operate differently  they have sensors that work with the speed of the car (some believe that airbags are released on impact...but its not true) airbags are only released on the order of the sensors that determines speed difference. By the way, the airbag is simple clothes with air in it to help further reduce ur speed from the 150km/hr eg. As the belt restrains you, your body still wants to go, so ur head hits the clothes with the air and immediately as the air is

Tires 101: 
1) Tires bear 4 digit marks that states week & year of manufacture eg. "4106" means 41st week of the year 2006. So, if a tire bears 0105 even if never used, its already a bad tire.
2) A tire that states it should be used in snowy/weather environment, must not be used in tropical climate.
3) Psi indicates maximum number of air pressure to be pumped into tires (most roadside vulcanizers gauges are not accurate) e.g width 205, is the nominal section width of the tire. 65 aspect ratio, is the height of the tires sidewall. R radial construction R16 the diameter of the tire. Roadside calls it rim size 16. The information that most people do not understand but is very important is the load capacity of tires or the Load Index. "Load index" and "Speed ratings" tell you the Maximum speed for the tires at full load. Shown in alphabets eg M means don't exceed 130km/hr on full load, N 140km/hr, P 150km/hr, Q 160km/hr, R 170km/hr, S 180km/hr,  T 190km/hr, U 200km/hr, H 210km/hr  V 240km/hr Z 240km/hr W 270km/hr  Y 300km/hr .

I implore you to share this knowledge with your friends and family. I assure you this is not a cheap attempt at promoting this blog. If need be, copy and paste elsewhere. You never know, you may be saving a life.