Insurers warn: for car drivers, this habit can have painful consequences

“On hot summer days, this view is very common on streets and highways. You can see hands, feet, or dog heads sticking out of the window on highways, city streets, and in traffic jams. For many, this seems a trifle, but there are not many cases that end in injuries and injuries. There have been similar cases in our company, for example, a driver’s hand sticking out of a window was seriously injured by a passing truck, “says Andrius Žiukelis , Head of the Expert Department of the insurance company BTA.

It is more difficult to control a car

When the driver runs his hand out the window, he has to drive the car with one hand. Such driving is not safe, as it is much more difficult to do it in time if the car is suddenly in an emergency situation that requires an urgent turn of the steering wheel, such as a sudden animal leak or an obstacle.

It is more difficult to control a car by holding it with one hand and then if there are potholes or bigger potholes in the road that we noticed in the last minute. If the wheel gets caught in them, the car can change direction and become unmanageable.

“Driving schools around the world teach prospective drivers, not surprisingly, how to drive a car with both hands, even to determine which steering wheel positions they should engage in,” said a spokesman for the insurance company.

For a hand sticking out of a window: fines

Drivers often put their hands out the window while standing in traffic jams. R. Žiukelis also does not recommend doing this, as they can be obstructed and injured by a passing scooter or bicycle.

Some car companies don’t even record head, hand, or foot warnings when driving through a window in the car owner’s manual. One reason is people’s safety, another is if there are side airbags in the car. After all, if they develop during impact, the person whose hand was sticking out of the window at that time will be injured much more.

There are states where drivers are even fined for driving with their hands out of the window or driving with their elbows in an open window.

“For example, there is such a ban in Australia, and fines in different states range from 50 to several hundred Australian dollars,” says Žiukelis.

Danger to children and dogs.

There are also cases where passengers travel with their legs sticking out of the window, children and dogs do not reach the passenger compartment.

“Unfortunately, not only the Internet but also the roads are full of such images. The scariest thing is when I see children sticking out of the window of a moving car. First of all, it is an extremely high risk that the child will be seriously injured in case accident. Secondly, strong winds can blow sand or insects into the eyes and injure them. And thirdly, it means that a child is transported without wearing a seat belt, which is a serious violation of traffic regulations In such cases, it appears that drivers simply do not follow common sense and are at great risk, “says A. Žiukelis.

According to the expert, children should not slide out the windows, even more slowly in the streets or narrow local streets. On such narrow roads, it is generally difficult for two cars to pass, they are very close to each other at the moment and driving with your head sticking out of the window can end up being extremely painful. Road signs or growing trees are also a hazard.

Dogs that smell through the window of a moving car are also a common occurrence, but such a “game” is just as dangerous for dogs as it is for humans. Sudden braking of the car can also cause injury or even knock down the window if it is fully open.