Seatbelt safety question

[MedicNorth]

Driving around with ANY unsecured weighty cargo in your vehicle is extremely dangerous. In a rollover or side collision, there a very good chance that an unsecured passenger will bounce around and smack into you and any other passengers in the vehicle.

It is very simple - you don't want to wear a seatbelt? Get the hell out of my vehicle. You are welcome to kill yourself, but I'll be damned if you are going to take me or mine with you!

The statistics are clear - seatbelts save lives. Period

[Michael]

Right. Thanks.

And then there was the doomed ad campaign (I am not making this up) with the slogan "Have you belted your kid today?"

[chaser]

ITA with MedicNorth (and other posters)... no seat belt=get the hell out of the car.

Not just because it's the law- just plain common sense. Who wants the projectile object slamming around in the car?

And, just to add, nothing worse than seeing Mom with baby on her lap in the front seat- so sorry Brittany- don't care where you are from- you are not that strong to restrain that baby in a crash. 8)

[strippel]

I was at an EMS conference over the weekend. Ken Bouvier (past head of NAEMT, and head of New Orleans EMS) was the guest lecturer.

He talked about injuries in vehicle collisions, and did a very simple demo. He placed 4 chairs on the stage, and had 4 people sit in them. He then asked them to stand, and sit in every seat in a short amount of time, without going outsde the chairs. Of course everyone bumped into each other. That simple display is what happens during an unseatbelted roll over.

[Lone Star]

This says it all:

http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g185/LON...ithejection.flv

(you may have to copy and paste the link)

[Michael]

When

I have some wicked friends (opposites attract)

he didn't mean that wicked.

But your point is taken, thank you.

[Eydawn]

Those commercials are very eerie but they convey the message very well. You'd think with all the other stuff we show on television we could be smart enough to use graphic depictions where it will do more good than harm. Crazy!

Wendy

NREMT-B

CO EMT-B

MI EMT-B

[Cookie]

I buckle up regardless of the vehicle I am in, driving or passenger. They do save lives. Anyone in my vehicle buckles up. In Iowa and Nebraska its the law and they do ticket you. I would much rather be cut out of a vehicle then peeled off from underneath a vehicle or scrapped up off the roadway. IMHO

[primemedic01]

In Australia wearing a seatbelt is law! You get a fine if you’re caught without one on, if there vehicle is moving. Of course it will make a difference if you’re not wearing one. Situations such as going through the windscreen, ending up in the backseat and cracking head with your passenger come to mind.

Is it not law that you must wear a seatbelt in the US?

It all depends where you are in the US. I think most states have it required all people wear seatbelts. Here in New Hampshire, you must wear it if you are under 18 years of age. I remember when I was younger it was under 12 years of age and under you had to wear it. You also aren't required to wear motorcycle helmets in NH. People really take the state motto "Live free or die" seriously. Or I suppose it should actually be "Live free AND die". Oh well, I wear my seatbelt and anyone in my car wears theirs. If they don't, they get out. I actually left one of my really good friends about 20 miles from where we live because he wouldn't put it on. I went back and got him about an hour later, but needless to say my point was made and he didn't object to wearing it.

Anyway, job security I guess.

[paramedicmike]

Here's another good demonstration of why you should wear a seatbelt.

While overall it's not very humourous, please take special note of the t-shirt our poor driver is wearing.

http://www.safeprogram.com/video7.htm

-be safe and please buckle up