Even though you’ve heard the constant reminders to wear a seatbelt and the dangers of not doing so, when an accident occurs, will you be following the rules, will you be at risk of serious injury? It is extremely important to wear a seatbelt. Something so simple can make a huge difference in a serious motor vehicle accident. Wearing a seatbelt can save your life or prevent you from suffering serious injury in a motor vehicle accident.
In fact, since the implementation of legislation and enforcement of seatbelt wearing in the 1970s, the use of seat belts has been a key factor in reducing the overall road death toll (even with significant increases in drivers and vehicles).
Everyone in a moving vehicle should wear a seatbelt. This is especially true when considering that drivers and front seat passengers are at an even greater risk of fatality if those in the rear of the car are not wearing seatbelts. Twenty percent of all fatalities on Australian roads involve people who were not wearing seatbelts. That is a significant statistic that should encourage everyone to belt up always.
Drivers are responsible for ensuring that all passengers under the age of 16 are properly restrained whilst in the motor vehicle. When passengers are older, you should still ask them to wear seatbelts for everyone’s safety. If you fail to wear a seatbelt or ensure a passenger under 16 years is wearing one, you are not only putting everyone at risk, but you are also subject to face a fine of three demerit points and close to $400. At the end of the day your passenger’s lives and health are in your hands, they are your responsibility as the driver.
Some of the most common reasons people give for not wearing a seatbelt are forgetting to put it on, they are only traveling a short distance and not feeling that they should bother. However, there is no real excuse. The Royal Automobile Club of WA states that, if a motor vehicle traveling at 60km/h hits an object, unrestrained objects will continue moving at that same speed until they make impact with something. In other words, if you don’t wear a seatbelt your unrestrained body will keep on moving at 60km/h until it hits the dash or window and sometimes will continue through the window before colliding with the next object in its path. This is why your health is at serious risk if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and have been reckless enough not to wear your seatbelt.
Additionally, the force on a seatbelt can equal about 20 times someone’s weight, which is how hard their impact would be should they not be restrained at the time of a car accident. Though seatbelts do not prevent car accidents from occurring or all of the damage and injuries that can occur, they have a noticeable impact on reducing the severity of a person’s bodily injuries.
According to the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) seatbelts are effective because they:
- Cause the occupant of the motor vehicle to decelerate at the same rate as the motor vehicle in a car crash.
- Spread the force of the impact over the stronger parts of the motor vehicle driver or passenger’s body.
- Prevent the motor vehicle driver or passenger from colliding with the interior parts of the motor vehicle and or other persons situated in the motor vehicle.
- Reduce the risk of the motor vehicle driver or passenger being thrown from the motor vehicle.
- Work together with the airbags by slowing the speed of the motor vehicle driver or passenger,
If you are the owner of an older car with questionable safety features, it is wise to look into upgrading. Specifically, you should look for ANCAP safety rating of four or five stars and ask about the operating conditions of the seatbelts. This safety rating is determined based on a detailed assessment of what makes a motor vehicle as safe as possible for you in the event that you are an occupant involved in a car accident.
In an instance where you were taking all safety precautions and are still injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should seek legal representation for assistance with your claim. Car Accident Lawyers Perth can help you negotiate the settlement of your motor vehicle accident injury compensation claim with insurers and their legal representatives. The best car accident lawyers will gather all of the necessary evidence required to ensure that you receive the maximum possible compensation.
It is important to note that if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident in Western Australia and you are not wearing your seatbelt the maximum amount of compensation that you can receive for your injuries is automatically reduced by 50 %.
Having read this article, from now on when you hit the road think of your health and the health of all passengers in your motor vehicle and ensure that everyone puts on their seatbelts before you depart as lives are at stake. Drive safely and take care so you don’t become another horrible road statistic.