How many times have you seen people disregarding the use of seat belts? Many people fail to acknowledge how crucial they are to our safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the simple act of wearing a seatbelt reduces severe crash-related injuries and deaths by nearly half.
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In 2016, seat belts saved nearly 15,000 lives. But nearly 2,500 more lives would have been saved if everyone had buckled up. Another statistic: You’re more than four times more likely to die during a car crash if you’re not wearing a seat belt. So why are some people still neglecting tho buckle up? Misconceptions perhaps?
Seatbelts are uncomfortable and hard to adjust
It’s a common belief that seat belts makes driving feel uncomfortable. Some people they feel restrained. But you can always just adjust the height on the belt so the strap goes across your chest. Always sitting up straight to drive also makes seat belts more comfortable. This will give you the best visibility and keep the belt pressure even across your body.
A three-point safety belt, including shoulder and lap belt, prevents your body from smashing into the dashboard or flying out of the vehicle. The reality is that the pain of a crash-related injury is way more serious than the inconvenience of buckling up.
My car seat belts never work
There’s an odd assumption that shoulder belts are not enough to be safe from an accident owing to the freedom of movement, which is a complete misconception. Now cars are equipped with newer shoulder belts for a more comfortable sensation,while protecting you from serious injuries in the event of an accident.
If your vehicle has airbags, you’ll be safe
Airbags are great for additional protection when it comes to frontal crashes, but not side or rear accidents. Relying on airbags to be 100% safe in the event of an accident is not realistic. Even during frontal crashes, drivers and passengers could slide if they are not wearing seatbelts.
Safety engineers design airbags to work along with seat belts, not instead of seat belts. They increase the effectiveness of safety belts by providing an additional cushion for your head, neck, and chest. But you won’t be positioned properly to protect yourself if you’re not wearing a seatbelt.
Seatbelts can cause hurt or cause injuries in a crash
Wearing a seatbelt is the safe choice. While it’s true that some drivers can suffer from minor injuries like bruising due to seat belt use during a crash, it’s still minor compared to what can happen when you’re not buckling up.
In a car accident, your body can hit the dashboard with a lot of force resulting in severe injuries. You can also get partially or completely ejected from the vehicle through the windshield or even side window. This type of crash can cause severe lacerations, broken bones, brain injury or internal bleeding and worse. It can even be fatal.
It’s ok not to wear a seat belt when you’re not driving too far
This is a typical response law enforcement officers usually get when stopping drivers for not buckling up when in fact, half of all car crashes happen within five miles of a person’s home, and 80% of fatalities happen at speeds below 40 mph.
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t buckle up, even when going to the nearest grocery store in town.
I am a good driver so I don’t need to wear a seat belt
Even if you are the most qualified driver in town, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a car accident crash-free. Remember, you can’t control other people’s behaviors. They can be a new driver, they can be impaired, distracted, or just be bad drivers. You don’t want to be at anyone’s mercy!
Remember that it only take three seconds to buckle up and it really makes a difference.
SEE ALSO: The 20 Most Common Car Problems In The US [Infographic]
