Do you take your lanyard or staff work pass off when you get in the car?
Do you take your lanyard or staff work pass off when you get in the car?
It's the kind of thing you wouldn't even think about leaving work, let's be honest, most of us are just hoping traffic isn't too heavy and that we get home quick enough.
However, police are now warning motorists to take off their lanyards before driving to help prevent serious injury if you become involved in a road collision.
Police have reported cases where motorists travelling wearing a lanyard around their neck sustained worsened injuries due to the impact of the car's airbag as it deploys during a road collision.
In the post, Dorset Police Volunteers said: "There have been a couple of serious traffic accidents of note (not within Dorset Police) where the wearing of identity lanyards around the drivers' necks has exacerbated the severity of the injuries sustained."
"This type of accident is fortunately unlikely, however staff, officers and volunteers should be aware of the hazard and how to avoid it."
"One driver was involved in a minor car accident and was wearing their company lanyard and pass."
"The car airbag was deployed on impact and the force of the airbag caused the lanyard and pass to be pushed into the driver's chest, causing a lung to collapse and requiring hospital treatment."
"Had the person not been wearing their lanyard and pass at the time, they would have most likely walked away relatively unscathed."
The post continues with their safety message warning of a separate incident were one motorist's bowel was perforated after the airbag launched a set of keys towards their stomach.
"In another accident, a NHS worker stored a lot of keys on her lanyard for medicine cabinets, lockers etc."
"She got into her car and was driving home, but did not remove her lanyard. Unfortunately, she also had a crash that triggered the airbag."
"The force of the airbag caused the keys to perforate her bowel; she was in hospital for over 6 weeks and she has been off work now for 6 months."
The post concludes with the police force strongly advising all motorists to remove their lanyards or similar staff ID passes when leaving work for safety and security reasons and to always remove them before you drive home.
Kellie Kearney is a Dublin mammy of 4 kids aged 2, 3, 5 and 9 (and she is expecting baby #5 in May). Described as a self-confessed procrastinator and picker-upper of things, Kellie would never turn down a coffee, loves to travel and shares her every day true to life moments on Instagram.
