Seat Belts Save Lives

Seatbelts can sometimes get lost in the glamour and buzz surrounding other safety features in today’s automobiles. From anti-lock brakes to rear motion sensors and anti-rollover technology, there are a slew of devices and mechanisms that do a good job at keeping passengers and drivers safe in the event of an accident.

When you think about it, however, none of these devices are as effective, as simple or as necessary in avoiding physical harm as the seatbelt. Airbags, for example, are much more effective when used in conjunction with a seatbelt. The same is true of anti-rollover technology. In the event that a car does roll over, the driver and passengers inside will have a far greater chance of surviving if they are wearing their seatbelt. This has been proven in numerous studies.

For these reasons and more, it is incomprehensible that many people climb into their cars every day and drive around without wearing a seatbelt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belt use throughout the United States in 2011 was 84%. Even worse than not wearing a seatbelt, however, is not putting on a seatbelt correctly.

Wearing a seatbelt the wrong way can result in greater injuries than if you were not wearing the seatbelt at all. Here at Klemick and Gampel, P.A., we have witnessed way too many car accident injuries that could have been avoided by wearing a seatbelt in the proper way. Drivers and passengers can suffer significant and lasting damage to their spine, and neck or legs if they are not wearing their seatbelt correctly, even when the accident is minor. It is definitely worth taking the extra time to put your seatbelt on correctly.

For example, when you put on your seatbelt, please make sure of the following things:

• Make sure that your belt is fitted across your hips. Don’t place it across your stomach.
• Make sure that the belt is snug across your chest, and keep it well away from your neck.
• Don’t put the seatbelt under your arm or behind your neck.

Seatbelts exist to keep you in the car in the event of an accident, and this is vital aspect of crash safety. Accidents can throw you around inside of your car or cause you to go through the windshield, but a seatbelt can help prevent this from taking place.

In order for children to be protected in the event of a car crash, the car seat must be installed correctly. Statistics from the NHTSA show that three out of four seats are not used correctly. The safest car seat for your child must be based on your child’s size, the right fit for your particular vehicle, and it must be properly installed. There are many helpful online tutorials on how to correctly install a car seat or booster seat, and you can find some here and here.

Our personal injury firm is based in Miami, and we provide aggressive and forward-thinking legal assistance for those who have been injured in car crashes in Miami, Coral Gables, Hollywood, and the entire Miami area. As long as we have been providing legal assistance for injury victims in Miami, we have noticed that our clients who weren’t wearing seatbelts who survived the accident always suffered injuries that were much more extensive and much more costly to the victims and their families.

It’s a simple enough idea. If you are getting into a car for any trip, no matter how short or long, wear your seatbelt. Your life could depend on it.