Driving without seatbelt

[hrh_disney_queen]

not saying it would not impact my family, but it would not impact the average person in any way. Just as not wearing a helmet has no impact on me.

So if you are driving a car and get into an accident that jars you out of your seat just as you are about to run over someone else, you can crawl back into your seat in order to try to gain control of your car?

I also agree with a PP that stated that if we are in an accident, and let's even say that you caused it. You die from injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a seatlbelt. Instead of me being in a horrible accident, I have been in an accident that killed someone. How would you like to live with that for the rest of your life?

Or if the accident WAS my fault. If you are wearing the seatbelt, I don't kill you. I am punished, but I know you are still alive. Not wearing a seatbelt-I kill you. I could go to jail for vehicular homicide, and I live with the fact that I killed someone. Sounds selfish, but said it wouldn't affect anyone but your loved ones. Not true. You should be required to lessen the severity of the outcome, whether it's your fault or not.

 

[ozarkmom]

I have very mixed views on the subject, Yes, for the most part they save lives...I have known several instances where the car was hit in such a way the seatbelt was the issue holding the person in place and was killed as a result.

I do not feel FHP should be able to ticket me on seatbelt infractions when motorcyclists can go helmetless. My not wearing a seatbelt has no impact on any one else.

I agree.

 

[luvmy3]

wow you're a peach.

Wearing a seatbelt saved my sons life possibly, and certainly from serious injury when we were t-boned by an SUV into his door from a car wreck we had travelling to WDW ironically.

wearing a motorcycling helmet ensured my friend didnt die from head injuries when he was sideswiped by a bus and mashed into the sidewalk.

do you have kids? do you ensure they wear seatbelts? If they wanted to drive motorbikes would you encourage them to wear helmets ....... I'm going with a big fat YES, OF COURSE you would!

the fact you would choose to ride without a helmet or seatbelt I equate to my 5 year old saying they only want to eat chocolate for breakfast and stamping their feet even though they know its not allowed.

grow up, the dangers are obvious for not wearing helmets/seatbelts, constantly highlighted, and will save your life most probably if you suffer a major accident ..... but I guess it may flatten your hair and you wont look cool ..... is that your main concern

I don't get the personal venom against the pp Thats wonderful that a seatbelt saved your ds's life but the pp is absolutely right that it wouldn't impact her life if your ds was not wearing it. Same thing with your friend wearing or not wearing his helmet, that has absolutely no impact on some stranger 3000 miles away.
My friend's dh is a traffic investigator for the PD and I have heard some horrible stories, especially about people that were not wearing their seatbelts. I have never once heard about an accident like mykidsnadi, obviously it happens but I don't know the statistics on how often a person becomes a projectile and inures or kills another person.
Anyway of all those stories,of all those who made the choice to not wear a belt and pay the ultimate price because of it, not one of them had an impact on me personally, or you personally. That is what the pp is saying. There is no need to attack her, she is just stating a fact.

 

[luvmy3]

So if you are driving a car and get into an accident that jars you out of your seat just as you are about to run over someone else, you can crawl back into your seat in order to try to gain control of your car?
I also agree with a PP that stated that if we are in an accident, and let's even say that you caused it. You die from injuries that could have been prevented by wearing a seatlbelt. Instead of me being in a horrible accident, I have been in an accident that killed someone. How would you like to live with that for the rest of your life?

Or if the accident WAS my fault. If you are wearing the seatbelt, I don't kill you. I am punished, but I know you are still alive. Not wearing a seatbelt-I kill you. I could go to jail for vehicular homicide, and I live with the fact that I killed someone. Sounds selfish, but said it wouldn't affect anyone but your loved ones. Not true. You should be required to lessen the severity of the outcome, whether it's your fault or not.

Do you have statistics on just how often that actually happens? You can say a million what ifs, but if they don't ever happen its really pointless.
As far as the guilt you feel, thats unfair to lay that on anyone other than yourself. Would you feel any less guilty for killing someone that was wearing a seatbelt?

 

[islandmum]

I don't get the personal venom against the pp Thats wonderful that a seatbelt saved your ds's life but the pp is absolutely right that it wouldn't impact her life if your ds was not wearing it. Same thing with your friend wearing or not wearing his helmet, that has absolutely no impact on some stranger 3000 miles away.
My friend's dh is a traffic investigator for the PD and I have heard some horrible stories, especially about people that were not wearing their seatbelts. I have never once heard about an accident like mykidsnadi, obviously it happens but I don't know the statistics on how often a person becomes a projectile and inures or kills another person.
Anyway of all those stories,of all those who made the choice to not wear a belt and pay the ultimate price because of it, not one of them had an impact on me personally, or you personally. That is what the pp is saying. There is no need to attack her, she is just stating a fact.

Its the total ambivalence to respect of their own safety and the effect of injuries through not wearing a seatblt would cause. Drives me nuts when people say "well its my choice coz it only affects me" - well you're wrong! It affects anyone who sees such an accident, it affects your family having to deal with the resulting injuries, the medics, the police, everyone.

WHY people drive with no seatblets or helmets on motorbikes amazes me and I'm sure theres a link with stupidity for it. you never know when that other car will come crashing into you no matter how good a driver you are.

I responded with annoyance because they chose to talk about the risk and harm and effects so flippantly.

 

[iwrbnd]

Its the total ambivalence to respect of their own safety and the effect of injuries through not wearing a seatblt would cause. Drives me nuts when people say "well its my choice coz it only affects me" - well you're wrong! It affects anyone who sees such an accident, it affects your family having to deal with the resulting injuries, the medics, the police, everyone.

WHY people drive with no seatblets or helmets on motorbikes amazes me and I'm sure theres a link with stupidity for it. you never know when that other car will come crashing into you no matter how good a driver you are.

I responded with annoyance because they chose to talk about the risk and harm and effects so flippantly.

It also affects how much the other person (if at fault) has to pay for your medical costs!

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

Well, it sure as heck effects me as a taxpayer. When you are in an accident, get bounced around the car and end up in a coma with TBI, evenutally the coverage from your insurance will run out. You will then qualify for medicaid and I will be paying for you to lay there on a vent day after day, I will pay for your treatments for pneumonia and bedsores and all the health issues for the next however many years until your body gives out or your family pulls the plug.

I treasure my personal liberties and I kind of understand that's likely where Lilygator is coming from, but you have a responsibility to yourself, your family, the other payers who pool risk with you for auto insurance and the taxpayers of your state to operate you vehicle safely- including wearing a seat belt.

My mom died in an accident where she was not wearing a seat belt. My pastor died in an accident where she had just removed her seat belt in a parked car on the side of the road and was hit- she flew out of the car and was dead on the scene. My MIL was a paramedic and she can tell so many stories of scraping the remains of unbelted drivers off the road.

I don't understand choosing to be less safe.

 

[Wall-E1]

Not wearing your seatbelt can also seriously mess up the alignment on my car when I run over your bloodied and broken body.

 

[binny]

a seatbelt saved my life when I flipped my 76 Honda Civic on a freeway and rolled it into an embankment. I walked away with scrapes and bruises, a lot of them, but nothing was broken.

I have never not worn a seatlbelt since that day.

 

[arminnie]

Oh the seatbelt issue.

I never drove a mile in my life without a seatbelt on - but I was bad about putting it on as a passenger. Mostly because back in my day (70s) people often tucked them away under the seat cushions.

I was in an accident where I was thrown from a Mercedes convertible in a bikini in the early 70s. I broke my collarbone and had a bad case of concrete burn.

I never realized how incredibly lucky I was until the early 80s when my sister and sister-in-law were in a realtively minor accident. They were waiting to turn into a hotel (after a 5 block trip) when a speeding car hit them. My sister went through the windshield face first and is still in pain decades later - and has had LOTS of plastic surgery.

But my sister-in-law - could not be a bigger tragedy. She was 23 years old and a recent college grad with a major in dance. A lovely wonderful person. For the past 27 years she has basically (pardon my reference) been a vegetable. She is incontinent, on a feeding tube, and maybe has the mental capacity of a 2 year old.

The only positive thing that has come of this is that I know my sister will never take excessive measures to keep me alive. Living for Laura was literally a fate worse than death. You have no idea how many lives were affected by this accident.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

Not wearing your seatbelt can also seriously mess up the alignment on my car when I run over your bloodied and broken body.

Oh, Wall E ..

 

[Aisling]

I always wear my seatbelt and make sure everyone in my car does, too. But if someone doesn't want to wear one in their own car, I think they should have that freedom.

 

[minkydog]

Oh, arminnie! that is just tragic. It makes me want to cry. Sometimes there is a fate worse than death. I am so sorry for your family. My youngest son has devastating brain damage from birth and is on the level of a 1yo, so I know how hard it can be. But to have a child or adult in the family who suddenly goes from strong and vital to unable to perform their most personal care, I can't even imagine.

 

[scottishduffy]

Count in another survivor thanks to a seat belt. A head on collision going over 40 mph and nothing to show for it but a black eye from the air bag. I was 17 yrs old and a passenger in that car.

A dear friend of mine was not wearing her seat belt when she was hit by a drunk driver. She sustained permanent brain damage from this. While she is a functional human being, her entire personality was altered. No one who knew her before would recognize her as the same person now. She is the same person... but then again she just isn't. It was like she died and this new person was now inside her. Her sisters were devastated. They were small at the time and couldn't really comprehend WHY she had changed so much.


It is reprehensibly selfish to proclaim that not wearing a setabelt will not affect anyone else but yourself.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Count in another survivor thanks to a seat belt. A head on collision going over 40 mph and nothing to show for it but a black eye from the air bag. I was 17 yrs old and a passenger in that car.

A dear friend of mine was not wearing her seat belt when she was hit by a drunk driver. She sustained permanent brain damage from this. While she is a functional human being, her entire personality was altered. No one who knew her before would recognize her as the same person now. She is the same person... but then again she just isn't. It was like she died and this new person was now inside her. Her sisters were devastated. They were small at the time and couldn't really comprehend WHY she had changed so much.


It is reprehensibly selfish to proclaim that not wearing a setabelt will not affect anyone else but yourself.

My former boss sustained a brain injury--though the cause is OT to the thread. It was very severe and he is not the same person.

I relish that he did survive and that he functions. But his mental capacity is not there and he will never work again. From what I understand, he is testing his boundaries--which isn't safe for him. He lacks reasoning skills. I'm not sure the level of brain injury that causes this--but essentially, it will be a lack of maturity that allows him to have the proper coping skills and decision making. His life is forever changed. He doesn't understand why his wife can't be there all the time. Much like a child whose parent has to go to work and they don't understand that no work=no money=no home=no food=no nothing.

Additionally--he has no idea who I am. I think he recognizes me now from seeing me post-recovery. But he hasn't a clue that I once worked for him. No familiarity, no nothing. It's weird.

He'll never be able to be alone again.

But again--it wasn't a car accident that caused this....but injuries (and death) do effect more than the people who receive them.

 

[manning]

I disagree with this. You must be in your seat in order to have a chance at controlling your car. A seatbelt will keep you in place if you are in an accident. You won't have a chance at controlling your car after you are hit if you slide across the front seat or fly out the window. I am saying a chance, I know it's not a guarantee.


OP, was it an older car that maybe only had a lapbelt?

I can vouch for that. I bought a new car in 1963. I drove it to Sears and had front seat belts installed. Several mouths later I had to do a panic stop and swerve. No way would I have been able to control the car without belts. I would have been on the the passenger side on the floor.

 

[PinkRhombus]

If I'm correct, NOT wearing your sealtbelt can lower some of the injury awards from a car accident. I've heard of it in a few instances at least where there are mandatory seat belt laws.

If it's not my fault, I want as much money out of the idiot that hit me.

 

[binny]

If I'm correct, NOT wearing your sealtbelt can lower some of the injury awards from a car accident. I've heard of it in a few instances at least where there are mandatory seat belt laws.

If it's not my fault, I want as much money out of the idiot that hit me.

True our insurance wont cover you if you arent wearing your seatbelt

 

[DeniseinNS]

I will not let anyone who will not wearing a seatbelt into my car. Both of our vehicles also have a very annoying beeping sound that it will make if the people in the front do not have seatbelts on, it will continue until the seatbelt is buckled. I made the mistake one day of putting my groceries on the front seat and it beeped the whole way home LOL.

 

[freckles and boo]

Not wearing a seatbelt is, in my opinion, selfish and irresponsible. Bodies become projectiles when unrestrained. You can be thrown into your front seat passenger, ejected completely from the vehicle, or tossed over the backseat into your kids. Watch crash test videos and look at what simulated 40mph crashes do to the dummies. Humans are generally ineffective at controling their bodies when they encounter those kinds of forces.