Between snowy conditions and holiday party-goers, the winter holiday season can be a dangerous time to travel. It is especially important at this time of year to wear your seat belt.
In 1985, New York became the first U.S. state to pass a law requiring front seat occupants to wear seat belts. Now, New Hampshire is the only state that does not require adults to wear seat belts. While seat belts may in some cases lead to injuries – shoulder injuries caused by the harness portion of the belt, for example – in most cases they do prevent more injuries than they cause. This is borne out by the following facts.
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According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front seat occupants wearing seat belts during an accident reduce the risk of death by 45% and the risk of a serious, non-fatal injury by 50%.
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Among all people involved in fatal crashes in 2001, 73% of the people wearing seatbelts survived, compared to only 44% of the people not wearing seatbelts.
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75% of the people ejected from a vehicle during a crash die. 99% of the people ejected were not wearing a seat belt.
While wearing a seat belt does not guarantee your safety during an automobile accident, you are still much better off being belted. We urge you to buckle up this holiday season.
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