Reasons to Wear Your Seat Belt

Some of the most common reasons why people don't wear seat belts are:

• I am an experienced driver. I can drive safely.
• I am driving only to a short distance.
• I fear being stuck in a car during an accident.
• Seat belts are uncomfortable. They cause irritation on my neck/spoil my clothes/wrinkle my dress.
• I don't need to wear a seat belt. I have an air bag.

Therefore, if the vehicle meets with an accident, the driver and the passengers will be thrown forward or on the sides with great force, which may result into multiple injuries or even death. Seat belts are meant to prevent deaths from accidents due to car crashes.

The shoulder and lap belts help in spreading the force of the crash. Therefore, there is no serious injury to one particular area. Secondly, the belt prevents you from colliding with the dashboard, steering wheel, and also prevents you from falling out of the vehicle in case of a crash. Seat belts prevent injury in case of sudden braking.

As wearing seat belts is a law, a person is heavily penalized if found not following it. The driver as well as the passengers in an automobile should wear a seat belt.

• The most important reason for wearing a safety belt while driving is that it reduces the chances of injury by 50%, in case one meets with an accident.
• Seat belts provide maximum safety. It will prevent you from getting jerked to the sides or in the front if an accident occurs.

• If the driver applies an instant brake to the vehicle, he and the passengers are thrown forward due to the law of inertia. Wearing a seat belt will prevent it to a great extent.
• After meeting with an accident, if it is found that the person has suffered injuries because of not wearing a seat belt, he is equally responsible for his injuries.

• Wearing a seat belt can protect a person's vital organs like head and chest from injury to some extent.
• Many people complain that they would prefer being out of the vehicle if in an accident instead of being stuck inside. On the contrary, it is safer for a person to be inside the vehicle as one cannot be sure how he would land, if thrown out of the vehicle.

• There may be cases that the passengers collide with each other if the vehicle stops abruptly. Wearing a safely secured seat belt will avoid this situation.
• It also helps people to avoid injuries caused in an accident due to drunk driving. However, drinking and driving is strongly discouraged. Drinking and driving can lead to heavy fine and even prosecution.

One has to be exceptionally careful about child seat belt safety. If children are not old enough to wear a seat belt, they should be secured in a child car seat. It is also recommended to wear a seat belt when traveling in a taxi. Sometimes, a person can legally not wear a seat belt if advised by the doctor for health reasons.

There are strict seat belt laws world wide but, according to statistics, they are hardly followed. Did you know that a car accident is one of the most prominent reasons of death in young adults?

Approximately 50% lives will be saved in an accident if people wear safety belts. Although a majority of people wear seat belts regularly, statistics show that mostly the younger population are hardly found wearing them.

Facts also prove that 70% of the people wearing a seat belt have prevented injuries even on meeting with an accident. It is found that nearly 10,000 lives can be saved every year only by wearing a seat belt.

People complain that safety belts cause irritation by rubbing across the neck. Shoulder pads or seat belt adjusters can be used if you find the belt uncomfortable. They are easily available in automobile accessories stores.

Maternity seat belts are also available for pregnant women who are unable to use the regular ones. These specially designed belts are worn below the belly, on the thighs or lap and are used for safety of the mother and the unborn child.

One of the most important reasons to wear your seat belt is to insure safety and prevent injuries. Not following seat belt safety laws can potentially be fatal. It can result in multiple injuries, fractures, brain damage, disfigurement, and even death.

Wearing a seat belt contributes significantly to and is an integral part of driving safety. Therefore, it is advisable to use it every single time you drive.