• By demonstrating safety habits, you may be saving more than your own life.Familiarize Your Kid with seatbelts image by Maciej Zatonski from Fotolia.com
  
  Seat belts are devices that keep drivers and passengers safe in case of a vehicle collision. While they do restrict movement and, at times, prove to be uncomfortable, the advantages of wearing seat belts outweigh the disadvantages. The benefits of remaining strapped in during a trip range from legal advantages to medical advantages. Teenagers are among several groups of drivers most likely to ignore these safety advantages.
  
  

Life Preservation

• Severe accidents can causes bodies to be thrown through the windshield or jarred violently around the vehicle. Seat belts save drivers and passengers from potential fatalities by keeping their bodies in place. According to the National Safety Council, in 2007, 42 percent of vehicle occupants killed during collisions failed to wear their seat belts.
  
  

Injury Avoidance

• Seat belts also protect those in the vehicle from nonfatal injuries such as concussions, bruises and broken bones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that seat belt usage reduces the chances of a crash injury by 50 percent.
  
  

Medical Costs

• Because car occupants who refuse to buckle up sustain more injuries on average, their medical bills tend to be higher, and their hospital visits are longer. The NHTSA reports that, on average, crash victims who fail to wear seat belts remain hospitalized three to five times longer than victims who were strapped in.
  
  

Legality

• Seat belt laws vary among states. However, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 31 states have primary seat belt laws, while 18 states have secondary laws. A primary law means that you may receive a ticket simply for failing to buckle up. Secondary laws allow an officer to ticket you for failing to wear a seat belt only if another driving safety or vehicle maintenance law has been broken. For example, if a law enforcer pulled you over for exceeding the speed limit in Pennsylvania, he can add on a $10 fine if you're not wearing a seat belt. New Hampshire is the only state that doesn't have seat belt laws pertaining to adults; however, the state has primary laws concerning the safety of child passengers.
  
  In the United States, the maximum fine for a first offense can fall anywhere between $5 to $200, as of November 2010, depending on the state and how many passengers were unbuckled.
  
  

Child Safety

• According to the NHTSA, in 2002, 693 infants, children and teenagers --- from birth to 15 years of age --- were injured or killed daily in vehicle crashes. Even if you're unconcerned about your own personal safety, you can set a good example for your family and friends by wearing your seat belt or reminding them to buckle up. Children are especially likely to mimic this behavior and incorporate it into their own driving habits in the future.