Do you wear your seat belt?

If not, after watching these video clips you WILL! An unrestrained passenger is not only putting him/herself in danger but other passengers as well.

Requires realPlayer. Turn on your sound.

"Julie"

"Backwards"

Seat Belts Media

By Vicki on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 08:52 am:

Always...everytime, without fail my seat belt as well as everyone in my car goes on!!

By Kernkate on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:10 am:

All the time, as does everyone who is in the car with me. Wouldn't go anywhere with out it.

By Amecmom on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:25 am:

It's so automatic with me, I find I've put it on even if I'm in the parking lot, going only a short distance from one stor to the next.
Ame
(my old car had automatic seat belts - a great thing)
Ame

By Sunny on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:28 am:

Always...I feel naked without it.

By Emily7 on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:55 am:

It is the law. I have been in to many accidents as a child not to.

By Tink on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 10:02 am:

Everyone in my car always wears seatbelts. I can't believe it when I hear that people choose not to.

By Momaroze on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 11:06 am:

We always buckle up, always!

By Ilovetom on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 11:28 am:

Always and the car doesn't move til everyone in it is. It doesn't matter who it is.

By Amy~moderator on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 12:41 pm:

Always

By Colette on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 12:53 pm:

always. No one goes anywhere in my car unless they are buckled in.

By Andyjoy on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 02:09 pm:

Always--I once threatened to kicked my 16-year-old sister out of the car when she refused to wear hers. (she gave in)

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 03:01 pm:

In the 9 years I have been driving I think I have forgotten twice to fasten my seat belt, and both times felt so strange that within a couple of blocks I realized what was wrong and fastened it.

I work for a plaintiff's personal injury law firm. Yesterday my boss settled a case where a man was thrown out of his car because of faulty seat belt and console design causing the seat belt to open (this design is no longer in use). He was killed on impact with the highway. I read our expert's report (the expert is a man who is used by both plaintiff and defense firms and is considered one of the top experts in the country on auto accidents). The expert said very clearly that if the seat belt had not opened and the man ejected from the car he would have suffered strain, sprain, maybe some fractured ribs, but no serious injury. Instead, he is dead. Another lawyer I worked for had a case where two college boys were driving home for vacation; the driver was belted and the passenger not. The driver fell asleep, the car went off the road and rolled over 3 or 4 times. The driver had strain, sprain, bruises, etc. and recovered in a couple of months. The passenger was ejected, hit his head, and suffered permanent brain damage.

I know there are those who say don't wear a seat belt because if you are in an accident and the car catches on fire you will be trapped. First, the number of fires resulting from collisions is incredibly low - it is a very rare event. And if you are not thrown around inside the car and knocked unconsious (sp?) you have a much better chance of getting out of the car. Almost all of the incidents in which a person is trapped in a car (and almost all of them with no fire) it is because of damage to the car frame, doors, etc., not because of the seat belt.

Except for the two times I forgot, I won't start my car with an unbelted passenger.

By Babysitbarb on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 03:40 pm:

Always and I do the same as Amy. I could be going just across the parking lot and still put it on.You never know what could happen in that small distance. I don't ever have to tell my youngest but, my oldest has to be remind now and then.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:43 pm:

Always! The only time I don't is if I'm just moving my car from the driveway into the garage. Otherwise, ALWAYS!

By Children03 on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 09:49 pm:

Every time we are in a vehicle. I won't have it any other way.

By Melanie on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 10:53 pm:

Everytime. Earlier I was pulling into the driveway and had to get out of the car to move something out of my way so I could pull into the garage. I got back in the car and without realizing it, put on my seatbelt. When I realized I had done that I couldn't help but laugh at how automatic it was.

By Lauram on Saturday, July 24, 2004 - 04:17 pm:

Always. It baffles me that people don't.

By Mommyathome on Sunday, July 25, 2004 - 12:44 am:

Always.

By Rayanne on Sunday, July 25, 2004 - 01:02 pm:

Always Always Always

By Laurazee on Sunday, July 25, 2004 - 07:45 pm:

Always. Don't feel right without it.

By Feona on Monday, July 26, 2004 - 06:07 am:

Okay. I have been know to forget for a minute. But it is second nature to me to wear a seat beat. I don't even feel it anymore.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - 12:28 am:

I always wear mine. I have heard of too many ejections from not wearing one. Some recent graduates from one of the local high schools had a very bad wreck on July 2nd. The two children un belted were killed. The passenger side rider had a belt on and survived.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - 07:31 am:

KUDOS to all of you who wear your seat belts!