Chicago Accident and Injury Lawyer Blog

Two people were killed this past weekend in St. Clair County as the result of a car accident. The vehicle struck a culvert and flipped over, ejecting the passenger and partially ejecting the driver. Neither person was wearing a seat belt.

Mascoutah Police Chief Bruce Fleshren told reporters, "Here again, and far too many times, we tragically lose young people to what statisitcs show could possibly be a preventable death, if people would wear seat belts." The police chief noted that seat belts are "no guarantee," but failure to use them rapidly increases the risk of death or injury. "I find it hard to believe that today people do not wear seat belts," he said. I echo that sentiment...it takes mere seconds to buckle up and the choice to do so could very well be the difference between life and death.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in December 2007 that the use of seat belts in vehicles saved an estimated 15,383 lives in 2006 and a whopping 75,000 lives between 2002 and 2006. In Illinois alone, 465 lives were saved thanks to seat belts. Sadly, an additional 5,441 lives would have been saved in 2006 if all unrestrained motor vehicle occupants involved in fatal crashes had worn their seatbelts. These statistics make me question why anyone would choose to forgo buckling up.

On the bright side, according to a September 2008 press release, the NHTSA has found that more Americans are buckling up than ever before, with 83% of vehicle occupants using seatbelts during daylight hours; this represents a 1% increase from 2007. The NHTSA estimates that approximately 270 lives are saved for every one percent increase in belt use. The report unfortunately also reveals that the lowest use of seatbelts is right here in the Midwest, with only 79% of people buckling up.

Buckling up should be an automatic thing when you get into a vehicle. Remember; it only takes a second to potentially prevent an unnecessary death.