Is there a reason you do/do not wear your seatbelt? (Working throught issues, thanks for your help)

Contributor: js250 js250
js250
Related to: 
I was in a very major car accident over a year ago and am alive only because I did not wear my seatbelt. The front end of the Suburban that hit me was up against the driver's side seat and had broken my seat. If I would have been wearing a seatbelt, it would have held me in place and snapped my c-4(? think that's the right one) vertebrae causing instant death. I just lost a friend last week due to her not wearing her seatbelt and the car rolled and crushed her. These are very short versions of each accident, neither one of us was at fault. I am very conflicted. I appreciate your feedback.
07/29/2011
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Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Personally, I always wear my seatbelt. Based purely on the research that I've done I do that because while there have been some cases where the person only survived because they weren't wearing theirs, there are a lot more where the person survived only because they were wearing it. I can see good cases for both sides, but when it comes down to it I choose to always wear mine.
07/29/2011
Contributor: Ms. Spice Ms. Spice
if i sit in the front of the car, i wear it, but if i'm in the back i don't. there are flip sides for wearing and not wearing,but sam is right, there's a better survival rates if you do wear it. but in the end, it really boils down to luck and the kind of accident you are in.
07/29/2011
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
It's the law. I suspect had I not been wearing my seatbelt in a bad accident I had some years ago that I would have ended up going through the passenger window. At the very least, I would have slammed into it pretty hard.
07/29/2011
Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
I flew through a front window because I was not wearing a belt, so since then I have always worn mine. As do my kids and wife. I feel you have a better chance wearing one than without. It's a law as well.

Another thing to consider is a the airbag factor, if you are not wearing a seat belt when the air bag goes off, you could possible go over/to the side of the air bag. Today's safety systems are designed with multiple components (Seat belts, air bags, crumple zones, etc.) that work best when used together.
07/29/2011
Contributor: Sir Sir
I always wear my seatbelt. If not wearing the belt, it puts everyone in the car, including the driver, in danger because of the situation Dwtim described. It could literally send your body flying all over the car, which could potentially kill everyone just due to gravitational pull.
07/29/2011
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
I always wear my seat belt. For safety reasons, plus last year a got a $100 ticket for not wearing my seat belt.
07/29/2011
Contributor: cujo467 cujo467
Ever since I got my license I always wear it. I was in a big pile up accident about a year ago and if I hadn't been wearing it I would have gone through the wind shield. Also sorry to hear about your friend and good luck with your issues.
07/29/2011
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
I always wear a seat belt, mainly because I really don't want a ticket!
07/30/2011
Contributor: MaryExy MaryExy
When my sister was in high school, multiple friends of hers died in accidents because they weren't wearing seat belts. That, the fact that it's illegal to not wear one here, and the fact that I'm still bad at making pretty sharp turns make me wear one. Plus, if I didn't wear one, the kids I babysit would refuse to wear theirs. It has better survival rates, and I really don't wanna get thrown close enough to the airbag to get injured by it detonating...
07/30/2011
Contributor: Beck Beck
I use to never wear a seat belt, then one day a deer ran out in front of us. He had to slam on the breaks and I hit my head on the windshield. Scared me, I do not want to go threw the windshield because he had to stop. Ever since then I wear one. It is illegal not to wear one in most places, but it is only a ticket here and it does not even put points on your license. My husband never wears seat belt has gotten 5 or so seat belt tickets in the last 3years. Every time you get stopped for something they give you seat belt ticket if they do not see you wear one. So he gets them, It cost about 25 but then court cost and waiver fee are about the same here, expensive! It is easier and cheaper to wear it.
07/30/2011
Contributor: Pixel Pixel
I'm a paramedic. I've seen so many people who have been ejected from their vehicles that I *always* put my seatbelt on as I get in the vehicle. I'll take my chances being trapped in a car vs. being flung 30+ feet (no, I'm not exaggerating) through the windshield.
08/01/2011
Contributor: Ava5 Ava5
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
I was in a very major car accident over a year ago and am alive only because I did not wear my seatbelt. The front end of the Suburban that hit me was up against the driver's side seat and had broken my seat. If I would have been wearing a ... more
I'd say your case was a rare exception. I'm pretty sure that in 99.9% of cases it's much much much safer to wear a seat belt. I was in a bad car accident that resulted in about 25 surgeries to save my leg, and I only lived because of my seat belt, the airbag and the car with high safety ratings. My car went off the side of the highway going 70mph and basically off a ravine, hitting 7 trees before it stopped. I would never go without a seat belt and I am really passionate about car seat safety for my kids (keeping them rear facing as long as possible and in seats that are properly installed). I know how the trauma of an accident can feel. I only recently started driving again and that accident was 5 years ago.

More people live because they are wearing their seat belt than the other way around.
08/01/2011
Contributor: toxie m toxie m
I always wear mine, first off because it's the law and I don't have money to pay tickets if I get pulled over for not wearing one. I don't have any first-hand experience with accidents but although I've heard a few stories of NOT wearing the belt saving people's lives, I've heard more of the opposite. I feel safer buckling up and always harass those in cars with me to buckle in if they don't automatically.
08/01/2011
Contributor: sarki sarki
I always wear a seatbelt, it's against the law not to
08/01/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
I always wear a seat belt. I always hear people say, "I would have been killed/maimed /crippled if I had worn a seat belt." But, owing to the uniqueness of every accident, there is simply NO way to know that for sure. (Kind of like all the women who say, "The doctor says there's no way I could get pregnant." and then end up having 6 kids. It's impossible for medicine to say what "would have" happened.)

If you ever work in an ER for even a few weeks, you know how important seat belts are in the long run. I'm a nurse and I have never seen anyone worse off for wearing a seat belt, but I've seen corpses and seriously damaged people who didn't wear them. The death and morbidity rate that have both fell as seat belt use increases attests to that.
08/01/2011
Contributor: Taylor Taylor
My mom died in a car accident when I was a kid because she didn't wear a seatbelt. I always wear one and I make a big fuss if anyone in the car with me won't wear theirs.
08/01/2011
Contributor: Kinkypixie Kinkypixie
I always wear a seatbelt. It just makes me feel a lot safer and I know that I am obeying the law at the same time.
I know that there are accidents where if the person was wearing a seatbelt they could have died. But I think the chances of not dying while wearing a seatbelt outnumber the accidents where they are not worn.
08/01/2011
Contributor: Misfit Momma Misfit Momma
I always wear it unless I happen to be in a vehicle where the belt is broken or lost between/under the seat. Yup, both have happened. Have never been in an accident thankfully, but my Dad was in enough through his lifetime to convince me of their importance. Plus, I don't want to get a ticket.
08/01/2011
Contributor: oldhippy oldhippy
I was in Germany with the Air Force for about three years before I bought my first car (a Volvo). During that time, I saw a couple of accidents at high speed, and the results there of. My Volvo in 1967 came with a 3 point seat belt system. I used it then because I was driving at 90+ miles an hour most times, and I have been using my seat belt ever since. I taught my children to use theirs all of the time, whether they still do or not. I am almost parinoid about using my seat belt, but I can't make anyone else wear theirs.
08/01/2011
Contributor: js250 js250
Thanks for your advice and help!!! I was very on the fence after my friend died and also with the facts of my accident. I always insisted my daughter have her seat belt on or car seat, whichever age at the time, but have been scared to put mine on in the last year. I get sweaty and sick feeling after I do and then have a hard time breathing. My DR. says I am having panic attacks and need to get those worked out. I really appreciate the time you guys have spent with my issue and am going to try to get this worked out.
08/04/2011
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
I always wear mine because mostly people are saved in major accidents from not wearing one, but in fender benders they usually help to protect the person. I hope to only be in a fender bender!
08/04/2011
Contributor: LikeSunshineDust LikeSunshineDust
Simply, I wear my seatbelt now because it's the law in the state I live in and my car beeps obnoxiously at me if I don't.
08/04/2011
Contributor: brittany8612 brittany8612
i use mine about half the time, it has nothing really to do about safety i just get uncomfortable when i use it sometimes. if i felt the driver wasnt very good id wear it. i could see how wearing one would give you anxiety tho, that mustve been a very stressful situation to go thru
08/04/2011
Contributor: ~LaUr3n~ ~LaUr3n~
I always wear my seat belt when I am driving, but only sometimes wear it as a passenger. It depends on who is driving and where we are driving.
08/04/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
We always wear our seat belts - for our safety and for not being ticketed.
08/04/2011
Contributor: Erotic Tendencies Erotic Tendencies
If I am driving or the front passanger I always wear my seatbelt. If I am in the back it depends on who is driving and where I am sitting. But I make everyone else in my car wear a seatbelt when I am driving. But for the most part I do wear it due to laws and not needn the added cost of tickets.
08/04/2011
Contributor: EJ EJ
I almost always wear one because I don't want to pay the fine for not wearing one, and I think it's pretty much a crap shoot as to whether or not it will help or harm. If I had personally known someone who had been harmed by one, however, I would probably feel differently.
08/04/2011
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Ever since a car accident when I was almost 17, I always wear my seat belt. I still have the scars.
08/05/2011
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
I ALWAYS wear my seatbelt. I'm confident in my driving, but ya never know what other idiots on the road are doing.
Plus I just feel weird and very comfortable not wearing one. And I don't need a hefty ticket for breaking the law!
08/05/2011