Dont Believe You Can Fly - Wearing A Seat Belt Will Reduce Your Chances Of Getting Hurt In Crash
Just in case you don’t know this, Vince and Larry, the infamous crash test dummies, are not real. They represent thousands of mechanical crash test dummies that automobile safety experts use to study the effects of wrecks on the human body if you are not wearing a seat belt. Vince, Larry and the rest of their crash test family can be fixed if they are “damaged” in a wreck.
When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, you may feel invincible. You could be making the same drive to work you make every day of your life. You may be out for a Sunday drive. That doesn’t mean you are immune to the bad driving of other motorists or that you could get distracted and cause a crash. While safety experts admit, there is no guarantee that you would survive a crash, no matter what the circumstances, wearing a seat belt can reduce your chances of serious injury or death.
In 2006, 21,527 people were killed in wrecks in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Sixty-eight of those killed in pick up trucks were unrestrained; 61 percent of those in SUVs were unrestrained; 40 percent of those in vans were unrestrained and 48 percent of those in cars were not wearing a seatbelt. The NHTSA says that 82 percent of Americans wear their seat belts every time they get into their vehicle.
What happens in a crash if you are not wearing a seat belt? In many cases, you will be sent flying through the air. Some people have ended up several feet from where their car is. Since humans cannot fly, in most cases, those people lose their lives. If you are not ejected from your vehicle, you could find your head slammed into the windshield.
All these statistics probably mean nothing to you. You have never worn a seat belt and you are walking around. If you life is not that important to you, remember that most states require you to wear your seat belt. In some states, you can be pulled over just because an officer has noticed you are not wearing a seat belt. And if you happen to be driving drunk or if you have let your insurance lapse, you can face heavy fines and even jail time.
If you have children, don’t forget they need to be in a proper child safety seat. Many states require older children to be in booster seats until they are four feet, eleven inches tall. Because law enforcement has placed a high emphasis on child safety, many states have high penalties if you have a child in your car that is not properly restrained.
Because they are such an important safety issue, many people find it hard to make jokes about seat belts. When crash test dummies Vince and Larry debuted in the late 80s, their dark humor struck a chord with many people. Vince and Larry had a clever slogan-”You can learn a lot from a dummy.” You are not a dummy or “uncool” if you wear a seat belt. You are simply protecting your life.
Neil Lemons represents Comedy Defensive Driving, a state approved Texas defensive driving online course. Since 1989 Comedy Defensive Driving has helped dismiss traffic tickets and lower insurance rates. Learn about their defensive driving online course, or any other Texas city by visiting their website: http:www.comedydefensivedriving.com.
Tags: course, defensive, driving, seatbelts