Why use а hands-free device and wear a seatbelt while driving?

Whether you drive your own car, a rent-a-car or any other vehicle, it is important to remember that the safety of the driver and passengers should always be your first priority.

Generally, the majority of modern cars are equipped with airbags to cushion an eventual collision in a traffic accident, but they are not sufficient enough to ensure maximum safety for everyone in the car.

That's why in Bulgaria, as well as in most other countries around the world, wearing seatbelts is mandatory for the driver and all passengers in the vehicle. According to Bulgarian legislation, driving or riding in a car without a seatbelt is punishable, and the driver will be fined and will lose eight penalty points from their driving score.

Placing your seatbelt the moment you get into the car, no matter if you are driving or not, should become a natural reflex. Even though seatbelts cannot offer a 100% guarantee to keep you alive or uninjured in a serious car accident, in many cases the seatbelt can literally save your life.

Seatbelts combined with the airbags and head rests are designed to minimize injuries during a road accident and to reduce the danger of being ejected from the car as a result of a car crash or other incident on the road.

Be aware that there is a law in Bulgaria which forbids the use of a cell phone or other mobile device without a hands-free function or a separate hands-free device while driving. Driving and talking on a cell phone without the use of a hands-free device or function is punishable with a fine and the withdrawal of 6 penalty points from your driving score.

An increasing number of modern cars have built-in Bluetooth hands-free functionality for easy connection of the mobile device to the control panel and the speakers in the car.

Even if there isn’t a factory built-in hands-free option in the car, there are some excellent hands-free Bluetooth devices, which in most cases have a convenient panel for easy use and viewing, as well as voice command options for use while driving, meant to reduce the risk of distraction of the driver during a critical situation on the road.

Some people dispute the actual effectiveness of hands-free devices in reducing the risk of distraction while driving, and claim that it is the actual conversation which distracts drivers, but a number of studies have found that imposing a ban on driving and using a cell phone without a hands-free device in different countries around the world has actually led to the reduction of incidents caused by distraction.

So, when you are picking a car from a rent-a-car company, don’t forget to ask about the availability of a hands-free device in the car, in case you don’t own one yourself.

In any case, when you get in the car, whether it’s yours or rented, you must keep in mind that neither the seatbelts nor hands-free device will guarantee you 100% safety on the road.

The most important element of driving safely remains the careful and responsible driving, the compliance to the rules and signs, and the responsible behavior on the road.

No matter how long a trip you might have ahead of you, and no matter how late you are for your destination, never forget that your safety and the safety of your passengers is what matters the most!