Myths and Facts about Seat Belt Safety

MYTH: In a crash, it is almost always safer to be thrown out of the car.
FACT: The chances of being fatally injured are almost 25 times greater if you're thrown from the car than if you're safely buckled in your seat. If you aren't wearing your safety belt you could be thrown through the windshield, thrown into trees, rocks, or other cars, scraped along the ground or pavement or run over by your own or another car

MYTH: The use of a seat belt can cause more serious injuries during a crash than if the driver were not belted.
FACT: In a crash, a safety belt may produce injuries if it is not worn properly. But, if the occupant is tossed around or ejected from the vehicle they are likely to sustain much more serious injuries or death, and could injure others in the vehicle. The problem of misuse typically takes on one of three forms: lap belts are worn across the abdomen rather than low on the thighs, with the potential for serious abdominal or spinal injuries; shoulder belts are worn under the arm resulting in excessive pressure on the chest and internal organs in the event of a crash; and seat belts are worn with too much slack, rather than snugly to prevent unnecessary movement.

MYTH: If an individual chooses not to wear a seat belt, that individual is only endangering his or her own safety.
FACT: If not buckled during a crash the vehicle occupant may be thrown into other people in the car. People being thrown into each other cause one out of four serious injuries occurring to passengers of motor vehicles. One of the more common causes of death and injury to children in automobile crashes is being crushed by adults who are not wearing safety belts. Being belted also gives the driver an improved chance of controlling his or her vehicle during an accident, thereby reducing the risk of causing harm to others.

MYTH: Safety belts are not necessary when taking short trips at slow speeds.
FACT: Three out of four crashes occur within 25 miles of home. Eighty per cent of deaths and serious injury occur in cars traveling under 40 mph.

MYTH: It is not necessary for good drivers to use safety belts.
FACT: No matter how good a driver you may be, you can't control the other car. Mechanical failure, bad driving and poor judgment may cause another car to involve you in an accident.

MYTH: In a burning or submerged car, occupants can be trapped by their safety belts.
FACT: Less than one-half of one per cent of all injury-producing collisions involves fire or submersion. If such an accident does occur, a safety belt can save your life by keeping you unhurt, alert and able to escape quickly.

MYTH: Pregnant women should not wear safety belts.
FACT: The greatest cause of fetal death in auto accidents is the death of the mother so her survival must be the first priority. A lap belt worn below the "bulge" and a snug shoulder belt above will give the mother and fetus a better chance of survival.