Every year, thousands of unbelted drivers and passengers are seriously injured or killed on our roads. The vast majority of these injuries or deaths could have been avoided if they had properly worn their seat belts at the time of the accident. It takes three seconds to put on a belt, but it can make a lifetime difference.
PASSENGER PROTECTION DRIVING FACTS:
Not wearing a seat belt is one of the leading causes of death from motor vehicle accidents.
Seat Belts Save Lives
Common excuses such as "takes too long", "he rubs my neck" and "I'm only going a short distance" are invalid excuses for not wearing a belt. It takes three seconds to fasten your seat belt, and the slight discomfort you may feel could save your life in the event of an accident.
Unbelted vehicle occupants are turned into deadly projectiles in an accident, injuring others as they are hurled through the interior of the vehicle, and in many cases thrown out the window. Passengers ejected from the vehicle are 90 times more likely to die in a collision. Unbelted passengers in the rear seat are particularly dangerous because their bodies can become a projectile, potentially injuring the driver and other passengers as well as themselves.
Also consider: If a driver is not belted, 70 percent of the children in the vehicle will not be belted. Adults who do not fasten their seat belts are sending a deadly message to children and other passengers that not using a seat belt is okay.
