The Effects of Wearing Seat Belts

Seat belts keep you inside the car.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that, as of April 2010, only one U.S. state, New Hampshire, does not have a seat belt law covering adults. The fact that the other 49 states and the District of Columbia (DC) mandate seat belt use speaks to the old adage that "seat belts save lives." In addition, seat belt use helps prevent crash-related injuries and keeps money in more than a few people's pockets.

Avoid the Human Collision

The Minnesota Safety Council notes that wearing a seat belt helps minimize the effect of the "human collision" that takes place during many motor vehicle crashes. When your vehicle begins to stop after impact, you keep moving. Inertia explains the fact that your body as well as your internal organs remain in motion as the vehicle comes to a halt. A seat belt helps spread force across the entire body, slow you down gradually, protect the spinal cord and keep you in your seat. Without a seat belt, you will hit what is in front of you--the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. You can be thrown into another person or through the windshield to the outside of the vehicle, which increases your chance of death in a crash by four times, according to the Minnesota Safety Council. If you are driving, the seat belt holds you in place and likely keeps you conscious, allowing you to react better and avoid additional obstacles and crashes. Needless to say, the majority of people killed in motor vehicle wrecks are unrestrained. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics from 2006 reveal that 55 percent of the dead from that year were not buckled up.

Keep Your Kids Safe

Research by NHTSA shows that when the driver of a motor vehicle wears a seat belt, passengers 15 years of age and under are more likely to be properly restrained in a child restraint device or adult safety belt. NHTSA data shows that, between 1995 and 2004, 63 percent of fatally injured children up to age 3 were unrestrained when the driver was unrestrained during a crash. That number climbs to 81 percent and 91 percent among 4- to 7-year-olds and 8- to 15-year-olds, respectively.

Economic Impact

NHTSA estimates that traffic accidents result in $230.6 billion in economic costs. This figure includes $32.6 billion in medical and emergency service expenses. NHTSA claims that "society" (i. e., taxpayers) fronts 85 percent of the medical costs of individuals in traffic crashes, not those involved. If you ride unbuckled, data from 2000 shows that your medical expenses are 50 percent higher than if you had worn a seat belt. Your employer takes a financial hit as well. NHTSA says that businesses lose billions as a result of loss of productivity and other costs associated with motor vehicle wrecks.

You Won't Get a Ticket

You can also keep yourself out of trouble with the law by wearing your seat belt. GHSA points out that every state in the nation (except New Hampshire) as well as DC has a seat belt law. Thirty states and DC, as of April 2010, have primary seat belt laws, meaning officers can pull you over just to reward you with a seat belt ticket. The remaining states use secondary enforcement. You can still get a citation, but you must be stopped for another traffic offense first. Fines are steep in some places, particularly Washington, where the maximum fine for a first offense is $124.

References

• Minnesota Safety Council: Occupant Protection
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): The Case for Primary Enforcement
• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA): Seat Belt Laws, April 2010
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Strengthening Seat Belt Use Laws, January 2008