Every 15 seconds, someone is injured in a car crash. Every 13 minutes, someone is killed in an automobile accident. However, seat belts save the lives of over 11,000 people per year.
Some states now have laws making it mandatory for drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts. I have heard people complain about putting on their seat belt, saying it is uncomfortable. I oftentimes respond by asking if it would be more uncomfortable to be thrown through the windshield. The laws of physics make it quite dangerous to risk not wearing a seatbelt. If you have to slam on your brakes to avoid an accident or if, unfortunately, you rear-end the car in front of you, your car stops but your body keeps moving. Your body will continue to move forward until something stops it. It can certainly be uncomfortable to be jerked back towards your seat by your safety belt, but what is the alternative? If your seat belt does not keep you in place during a car accident, your body will move forward until it is either stopped by the windshield, a window, the dash or even worse, the pavement. If your vehicle is rear-ended, a seat belt is equally important because after your body moves rearward following impact, it will inevitably move forward and again, something needs to hold your body in place.
As a Missouri car accident attorney, I have heard people say there is no need for a seat belt if sitting in the rear seat. This is simply not true. If you are seated in the back and there is a car crash, the above still holds true. Your body will continue to move until something stops it. There have been many tragic accidents where a rear seat passenger was not secured with a safety belt and that person was thrown over the seat of the individual directly in front of him thereby seriously injuring the person sitting in the front – even killing him or her.
For the safety of you and everyone riding with you, be sure to “buckle up” every single time.
How Wearing Seat Belts Can Help You Save Money, Time and Your Life, NHTSA.