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Originally Posted by Fire Escape  I spent a lot of my productive years removing victims and bodies from wrecked cars. I did it for well over a decade (and at least 100 bodies) before I removed a seat belted body from a wreck. That's much too small of a sample to draw any realistic percentages from but a lot bigger than the "I would have been killed if...." group has to draw from. I never did treat anyone who had successfully "jumped out of the way" but I might well have found a few who tried unsuccessfuly, they were in no condition to say one way or the other. Long before I was involved in being a FF/EMT I was convinced that it was worth wearing a belt just for the better chance of maintaining control of the vehicle, getting up close and personal with crashes just added to the reasons for doing it.  Bruce |
x2 on that. I starting wear it after I hit a utility pole when I was 18. I didnt' hit it square and the car spun taking out the guide wire and a fence and a parked car (that was totalled too). It saved my life for sure. Before then it was odd to have it on, since then its odd without.
Now that I too work as a FF/EMT, I encourage everyone I know to wear their seatbelt. Have seen countless times where the accident site alone looks fatal when its not because of the use of seatbelts. Then again, Ive seen too many that seem like little fender bender, no big deal accidents where they were fatal. Bottom line is... it will save you a 1000 or more times before it kills or seriously injures you!!
PS- arguing over the seatbelt law is pointless, I dont' like government telling me i have to do things either, ie. paying taxes, abiding speed limits, etc.-
But those things will never change either!!