You wouldn’t reach your hand into a hot oven without an oven mitt.
It’s a part of staying safe and preventing a really painful burn. This same theory should be used with seat belts as well. A seat belt is your safety net against serious injury and even death. Yet despite some of the record high rates of seat belt usage there are still millions who are wandering our roadways without a seat belt.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belt usage is at an all-time high with more than 85 percent of motorists reporting using a seat belt during every car ride. Still, there are thousands who are still putting themselves at risk and riding around with no safety net.
Our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers understand that a seat belt is the most useful safety feature in your car when it comes to preventing injury and death. With the end of the year approaching, seat belts are now more important than ever. The snowbirds are heading south, students are getting out on winter break and residents are using up those last-minute vacation days. With more people on our roadways, the risks for car accidents skyrocket. As a matter of fact, the last eight weeks of the year are usually some of the most dangerous.
“When it comes to driving safely, one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your family is to use a seat belt,” said Ray LaHood with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Seat belt facts:
-If all passenger vehicle occupants 5-years-old and older had worn seat belts, an additional 3,341 could have been saved in 2010. That’s more than twice the number of lives lost in the Titanic.
-Of all passenger vehicle occupants ejected from their vehicles, close to 80 percent were killed.
-The annual two-wheel “Click It or Ticket” crackdown has resulted in more than 3 million seat belt citations over the last 5 years. That’s one ticket every other second.
-About 70 percent of 18- to 34-year-old passenger vehicle occupants killed in rural crashes at night were unbuckled.
Seat belt myths:
-If you’re not going far or you’re not traveling too fast then you don’t need a seat belt.
-Seat belts can trap you in a car if it catches on fire or submerges in water.
-If your car has airbags then you don’t need a seat belt.
-Your seat belt can hurt you in an accident.
-Guys don’t need to wear seat belts. They’re tougher and they’re better drivers.
Before heading out on our roadways, make sure you buckle your seat belt. Parents and guardians need to make sure that young passengers are properly buckled during every car ride, too. There’s never a car ride too short for a seat belt. With the ability to save lives, it’s imperative that you use it!
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a car accident, contact Richard Ansara at 954 761-3641 or toll-free at 877-277-3780 for a free initial consultation.
More Blog Entries:
Slow It Down in Fog, Smoke and South Florida Rain, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, November 10, 2012
Broward Traffic Safety “Operation Safe Driver” Opens Efforts to Reduce Seasonal Risks, Broward Injury Lawyer Blog, October 27, 2012