| When the mandatory seat belt law came into | | | | |
| effect in my state of Florida at first I | | | | Another common excuse is that the seat belt |
| thought it was ridiculous. I mean, who does | | | | is uncomfortable. This is not a good excuse |
| the government think they are to tell me I | | | | either. Seat belts today have a range of |
| have to wear my seat belt? I obviously wasn't | | | | adjustments to make them more comfortable no |
| alone; I had a lot of friends who were | | | | matter what size you are. Besides, it isn't |
| ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. Well, I | | | | nearly as uncomfortable as a neck brace, or a |
| have to admit that I have probably been saved | | | | coffin. |
| twice from them. The first time I fell asleep | | | | |
| at the wheel driving home late one night from | | | | Another thing people say is they have never |
| an auto auction and I rolled the car several | | | | been in a wreck, that they are a safe driver. |
| times and ended up in between pine trees with | | | | Remember my story from above, it wasn't my |
| all the windows busted out and half of the | | | | fault when I got hit from behind and even |
| roof caved in. I walked way from it. The | | | | though I had neck and back injuries because I |
| second time I was hit from the rear while | | | | was hit so hard I could have very easily been |
| driving a full size extra cab truck, the | | | | taken away with a sheet over my head. The |
| truck was totaled, I had injuries but could | | | | odds are against you, in a 10 year period 80% |
| have been killed. The seatbelt kept me from | | | | of drivers will be in an accident. |
| going through the windshield. | | | | |
| | | | Don't think that airbags alone will save you |
| Our first notion when we are told that we | | | | either. You have probably heard of people |
| must do something or else, is to rebel | | | | being killed by airbags. It usually happens |
| against those who are commanding us even | | | | because the person wasn't wearing their seat |
| though it may be for our own good. The | | | | belt and the airbag hit them right in the |
| statistics speak for themselves, seat belts | | | | face at 200 mph. |
| save lives. The old excuse of "If I don't | | | | |
| wear a seat belt, I will be thrown clear of | | | | Don't care for your safety? What about the |
| the wreckage" doesn't fly. If you get thrown | | | | safety of those in the vehicle with you? |
| from a vehicle you will probably die or at | | | | People don't stop to think about that. If you |
| the least be crippled. In a report from 2002 | | | | are in the car without a seat belt on and you |
| well over 70% of those ejected from a vehicle | | | | have someone in the car with you, |
| died and it was said that of 33,000 | | | | particularly a child who is smaller, the |
| passengers killed, nearly 60% were not | | | | force of your body being thrown into them |
| wearing seat belts. The primary cause of | | | | could kill them. That fact alone should be |
| death in ages four to thirty four is car | | | | enough to make you buckle up. |
| accidents. | | | | |