People have all sorts of excuses for not wearing seat belts, including personal comfort, confidence in their ability to drive well and feeling they don't want to be told what to do. But the facts and statistics show seat belts save lives. This is true for adults, teenagers and children.
Purpose
A seat belt keeps a body in the car during a crash. Unbelted drivers and passengers are more likely to be thrown out of the car during an accident. People are four times more likely to die if they are ejected from the vehicle.
Causes of Death
The leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years old is car crashes. Teenagers are less likely to wear a seat belt than adults, even when riding in a car with belted adults.
Lap-Shoulder Belts
Lap-shoulder belts are best for front-seat occupants. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing a lap-shoulder belt reduces a front-seat occupant's chance of dying in a crash by 45 percent.
Children and Death
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, six of 10 children who died in car accidents in 2005 were not wearing seat belts.
Race
Black men are less likely to use a seat belt than Hispanic and white men. In 2003, the Congressional Black Caucus said encouraging and increasing seat belt use for black men is an "urgent national health priority."
Misconceptions
Some people think if they are good drivers and are not going far from home then a seat belt is unnecessary. According to the Louisiana State Police, 85 percent of car crashes occur within five miles of the driver's residence.
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