I sincerely believe that what I am about to tell you could save your life. How many of you would like to increase your odds of living a longer life by at least 45%? It doesn’t cost a penny, has been tested since the 1950s and can reduce your risk of death in an automobile accident by at least 45%. Yes – I’m talking about automotive safety belts.
Safety belts are the single most effective occupant protection device available in motor vehicles today. Safety belts, when used properly, reduce risk of death to front-seat occupants by 45 percent in cars and 60 percent in light trucks.
Why wouldn’t anyone want to wear their safety belts and reduce their changes of dying in an automobile accident?
There are 3 common excuses often heard:
“It will wrinkle my clothes.”
Consider the wrinkles (otherwise known as scars) that could be left on your face after you are thrown through the windshield in an accident.
"I'm just going around the block."
Three out of every four fatal crashes occur within 25 miles of a person's home. But still, one of the most common reasons given for not wearing a seat belt is, "I'm just going around the block."
I, personally, live 2 ˝ blocks from my Mother’s house but I have to travel through an intersection where the cross street traffic is supposed to stop at a stop sign. Notice I said “supposed” to stop. I have no guarantee that the other guy is going to pay attention to that stop sign. I could easily be involved in an accident one block from my own home in a strictly residential area. I know that it has happened at least once to a neighbor.
"Traffic is light"
Another common reason given for not wearing belts is "traffic is light." Actually almost 50% of traffic deaths occurs in single-vehicle crashes, many when no other vehicles are even around.
Wearing safety belts is the single most important thing a person can do to protect themselves in an automobile," says Lou Camp, director of Ford Motor Company's Automotive Safety Office.
Safety belt use in the United States has risen from 14 percent in 1983 to 70 percent at the end of 1998. The reason why - 49 states and the District of Columbia have passed safety belt use laws.
Research in the U.S. and in other countries has shown that high belt use rates result from the combination of:
§ laws with meaningful sanctions
§ enforcement of those laws
§ and education.
Laws, enforcement, or education by themselves will not result in high usage levels. It is the combination of the three that works.
Research shows that high visibility enforcement works because, with a great many part-time and non-belt users, the fear of a citation and significant fine outweighs their fear of being injured or killed when unbelted in a crash. A citation, coupled with a significant fine, is a powerful motivational and educational tool.
Although it is difficult for me to understand how a person could fear a citation more than serious injury or death, I have witnessed proof that this claim is true. Each morning as I drive to work from Decatur, I pass through an elementary school speed zone on Highway 20. The speed limit goes down to 35 mph and 90% of the time there is a city policeman sitting there to enforce this. Just a few weeks ago, as traffic slowed coming into this zone, I noticed the passenger in the truck to my left putting on her safety belt. Good – I thought, seeing the policeman reminded her that she needs to be buckled up because it’s the law. Now she will be safer. Of course as everyone exits the school speed zone, their speed picks back up and that’s expected. What I didn’t expect and really shocked me was to see this person actually remove her safety belt once we were out of sight of the policeman. I can’t understand it!
Two highly publicized accidents in recent years prove seat belts save lives.
Former Alabama football player Derrick Thomas died last February as a result of injuries suffered when he was ejected from his car during a single car accident. Another passenger, also ejected, was killed. The remaining passsenger was belted in and survived with minor injuries.
The other high profile accident involved Diana, Princess of Wales, in a car crash in Paris. This accident resulted in her death as well as the death of the driver and another passenger. The terrible accident generated so much public and media discussion that probably everything good or bad that can be said, has been said.
The only survivor of the accident was bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, who rode in the front passenger seat. He was the only one wearing a seat belt.
If anything good can come from such terrible tragedies, let it be the belief that seat belts save lives.
In 1998, the overall observed safety belt use rate was 70%. If you are in the other 30%,
Wear your safety belts!
Do it because it has been proven that “Seat Belts Save Lives!”