It may seem strange that there are still questions about how much a seatbelt can protect you if you are in an accident. There are quite a few people that do not believe in wearing seatbelts. Many people wear seatbelts because it is the law. Many more people wear seatbelts because their car makes that annoying beeping noise if their seatbelt is not buckled. There may not be as many people as you think wearing them because they feel like they are a lifesaver. Find out more about seatbelt safety before you need a Denver Car Accident Lawyer.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 53 percent of drivers and passengers that were killed in car crashes in 2009 were not wearing seatbelts. They also tell us that wearing a seatbelt can reduce the percentage of death to 45 percent. It can also reduce the risk of serious injury to someone in a car accident by 50 percent. That number is a bit dated because it is from 2009, but the number was not much better in 2017. That year, 47 percent of the people who were killed in a car crash was not wearing a seatbelt.
Seatbelts have proven that they can prevent both drivers and passengers from being ejected from a during when in an accident. More than three out of every 4 people in a fatal accident were thrown from the vehicle. The CDC also shows that seatbelts saved 13,000 lives in 2009. If every one of them had been wearing a seatbelt, about 4,000 of them would still be alive. Seatbelts are not perfect by any means, but those numbers make it worth wearing one to protect yourself and your loved ones.
The airbags in your car are not always enough to protect you. Airbags were intended to work with seatbelts, not to replace them. If you are not wearing your seatbelt and your airbag deploys, the force alone could be fatal. Not only should you wear your seatbelt every time you go for a ride, but you must wear it properly. If worn incorrectly, it could still cause serious injury. Putting the seatbelt under your arm is not the proper way to wear it. If your seatbelt does not fit you properly, you should get adjusters for it to ensure the proper fit. You can also get an extender for your seatbelt to give yourself more room if needed. Keep you and your passengers safe by wearing your seatbelt properly every single time.