75 years ago, automobiles didn’t go very fast and the cars were built out of solid sheet metal. This meant that cars were like tanks. People could easily survive the low-speed fender benders of those days but in our world of today, cars are made from lightweight materials and go much faster. This has made safety equipment essential. We have airbags that are installed in dashes, side airbags that are installed as well. When these deploy, they surround you with a pillow effect.
According to Lampert & Walsh, a personal injury attorney in Denver, Seatbelts remain the best method of preventing death in severe accidents. Not wearing a seat belt can result in you being launched from a window or even through the windshield, which often results in death from head injury, spinal injuries, and severe lacerations. Being ejected out a side window can result in being run over during the accident by your own vehicle or other vehicles in proximity.
How Seat Belts Are Important
- They provide safety for everyone in the vehicle. Even pets should be secured to a seat belt, with their harness or in a crate, but never by their collar! This will prevent them from being launched through the windshield, resulting in death or severe injury.
- They keep you in place during an accident which is very important when there are multiple people in an accident that could be jarred into each other and cause more injury.
- It is part of a safety system that is designed to work together. This means that between your seat belt and your air bags, the system is designed to hold you in place and shield you at the same time. Being held in place will lessen the severity of neck injury and keep you stable until help arrives.
- Wearing your seat belt helps to lower your insurance rates as well. When your car is equipped with safety equipment, such as ABS brakes, airbags, and so forth, your insurance rates are less.
- While you may be injured in an accident, your risk of severe injury and death are dramatically decreased when you wear a seat belt. Always wear your seat belt and you’ll likely live in a bad accident, while enjoying lower insurance rates and avoiding a ticket.
- As mentioned in number 5, wearing a seat belt will help you avoid a fine. All fifty states now how seat belt laws and you can be pulled over and issued a citation for not wearing one. When that happens, you’ll likely have an increase in your insurance rates.
Be Prepared
Having numbers with you is important. Keep them in your wallet. Have an emergency contact saved in your phone under ICE — in case of emergency. Keep a business card or phone number for your law office.
Make sure that your family has a backup plan for who gets the kids picked up from school if mom can’t get there. Having a trustworthy neighbor that you can have pick your kids up is a good plan to have when you need it.
The more that you plan for emergencies and the plan of action to follow if you are involved in an accident, the more your wishes will be quickly taken care of and your family will be safe and in touch.
The sooner you call a lawyer, the sooner they can get the details of your accident documented and help make sure that you get the medical attention that you are due as well.
