Advantages of Using a Seat Belt

Few people enjoy wearing their seat belts. Some find them constricting while others just hate wearing them because it is required by law. Despite the advantages of using a seat belt, as many as 25 percent of drivers and passengers refuse to wear them for whatever reason. Luckily, more and more people are listening to the statistics and realizing their need to use this lifesaving device.

Lifesavers

The main advantage of using a seat belt is that it could save your live in a collision or some other form of accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 9,000 lives were saved each year as a result of using seat belts. In 2006 alone, more than 15,000 lives were saved because they were wearing their seat belt.

Tickets

Many drivers simply wear their seat belt to avoid getting a ticket. Although there are no points assessed to a driver's license for not wearing a seat belt, tickets can range from $10 to $250 for a first offense, depending on the state in which you receive the ticket. The laws for using seat belts are different state by state. In some states like California, Kentucky and Delaware, adult passengers in the back seat may receive tickets for not wearing their seat belt. In some states, this is a primary offense, which means that a police officer may pull over the vehicle solely for this offense. In states where the seat belt laws are secondary, an officer may only pull over a vehicle for another offense before issuing a ticket for failure to wear a seat belt.

Reduce Injury

In minor collisions, seat belt usage has proven to reduce the potential injury to drivers and passengers. When you are in a vehicle involved in a minor collision, your body can be thrust forward, causing your head to hit the dashboard or windshield. With a seat belt, however, your body is restrained to prevent this from happening. According to reports from the NHTSA, using a seat belt reduces your risk of injury in minor accidents by as much as 50 percent.

Setting an Example

If you are a parent, wearing your seat belt sets a good example for your children or younger drivers in your household. Children learn many of their behaviors by example and when you make a habit of putting your seat belt on when you get behind the wheel, they are more likely to do the same when they are driving.

Lower Medical Costs

According to the NHTSA, people who were wearing their seat belts during a collision pay about 60 percent less in medical bills than people who were not wearing their seat belts.

References

• NHTSA statistics about seat belt usage
• Seat belt laws by state

Resources

• Seat belts save lives
• Benefits of using seat belts