Reasons for Seatbelt Laws
- Higher rates of seat belt usage benefit everyone.seat belt receptacle image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
Laws requiring seat belt usage increase the percentage of motorists and passengers who wear seat belts. While no state has achieved 100 percent usage of seat belts, states with laws requiring seat belts to be used for all passengers have increased usage by about 15 percent over states that don't have seat belt requirements. While many people believe using a seat belt should be a personal choice, widespread use of seat belts benefits everyone. - Seat belt usage saves lives. Proper use of seat belts often protects belt users from injury or from greater injury in the event of a crash.
Some people theorize that using a seat belt will give a driver a greater sense of safety, causing her to drive less safely, which would result in larger numbers of accidents. However, research has shown that this is not generally true, and that greater seat belt usage leads to lower rates of accident fatalities.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts prevent half of all potential fatalities, and save about 15,000 lives each year. - Fewer fatalities and lighter injuries save money. Health and auto insurers must pay for medical treatments when people are injured. Reducing the amount of money spent for medical care of accident victims helps lower insurance premiums for everyone. One National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimate placed the annual savings--if seat belt usage reached 90 percent of all occupants--at about $8.8 billion annually.
- Children mimic the adults around them, and when adults fail to use seat belts, children usually do, too. When the driver of a vehicle uses her seat belt and teaches her children to use theirs, she sets a good example that her children are more likely to follow in the future. By doing so, she not only keeps her children safe each time she drives, but helps ensure their future safety as well.
