Buckle Up–It’s The Law

Yesterday we reported on an accident that took place on the Bayside Bridge. There were two drivers injured in the crash, but the injuries were reported as being minor and both of the people involved were wearing their seat belts. We don’t know for sure but this was probably no coincidence.

Nobody leaves the house expecting to get into an accident, but the fact is that accidents happen and they can happen to you. There are things that you can do to mitigate the possibility of a serious injury if you are involved in a crash, and wearing your seat belt is at the top of the list.

According to a pair of relatively recent studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the five-year period between 2005 and 2009 over 72,000 lives were saved because of people wearing their seat belts.

David Strickland of the NHTSA had this to say after the results of the studies were released:

“As impressive as these figures are, they could be, and should be, even more impressive.  If we had 100 percent compliance for seat belt and motorcycle helmet use, we would have saved an additional 4,420 lives in 2009.”

It is quite obvious that the upside involved in wearing a seat belt is certainly worth the minimal effort that it takes to buckle up. And if you are not motivated by pure common sense, you can be pulled over and fined for not wearing your seat belt and that should provide you with some added incentive to do the right thing.

If you have been involved in an accident due to the negligence of another driver or a possible vehicle defect, please contact us at 727-848-8892 to schedule a free consultation.