Seat Belts Save Lives

Seat belts are arguably the greatest vehicle safety invention. The first patent for a safety belt was issued in 1885 in New York, but it wasn’t until 1963 that the first modern three-point seat belt was introduced as standard vehicle equipment in the U.S. Today, most seat belts are fitted with a retractor mechanism attached to the belt’s webbing, which in the event of a collision, locks to prevent a passenger from flying through a windshield or crashing into a dashboard. If worn correctly, seat belts can greatly reduce the risk of death or injury in a car crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts save approximately 13,000 lives each year in the United States. Between 2005 and 2009, seat belts have helped saved the lives of 72,000 American motorists, reports the NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.

Unfortunately, many motorists refuse to wear a sear belt. A study conducted by James Madison University found that more than 90 percent of motorists believe seat belt use is a good idea, but less than 14 percent actually buckle up. Comfort, fears of being trapped, too troublesome and quick trips are just a few of the reasons why many motorists choose not to buckle up. Sadly, almost half of the 35,000 people tragically killed in auto accidents each year could have been saved if they were wearing a seat belt, reports James Madison University.

In California, law requires seat belt use. As the California Highway Patrol says, “Buckle up California – It’s the law!” California Vehicle Code § 27315 (d) (1) states, “A person shall not operate a motor vehicle on a highway unless that person and all passengers 16 years of age or over are properly restrained by a safety belt.” For parents of guardians of young children, California Vehicle Code § 27360 (a) states, “A parent or legal guardian, when present in a motor vehicle, as defined in § 27315, may not permit his or her child or ward to be transported upon a highway in the motor vehicle without properly securing the child or ward in a rear seat in a child passenger restraint system meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards, unless the child or ward is six years of age or older or sixty pounds or more.” It is important to note, the California Department of Motor Vehicle’s definition of  “highway”, is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel.

If you would like to read about the lives saved by restraint use visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. To learn more about seat belt laws and the importance of wearing a seat belt, visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles and California Highway Patrol websites. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car collision, you could benefit greatly from the professional legal counsel of a Carlsbad personal injury attorney.