Adult seat belt use is one of the most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes. Yet millions of adults do not wear their seat belts on every trip. When you get into your car, the first thing you should do is buckle up. Seatbelts help prevent your head from making contact with the steering wheel, windshield, and driver’s side window. They can also keep you inside of the car in the event of a rollover accident. This is crucial in helping to prevent injury if there is a crash.
Seatbelt Statistics:
The CDC released the following seatbelt statistics in January of 2011:
- Every day, about 6,400 adults are injured in a crash.
- Using seat belts reduces serious injuries and deaths in crashes by about 50%.
- 7.3 million more adults would have worn their seat belts in 2008 if all states that had primary enforcement seat belt laws achieved 88% use.
Adult seat belt use is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes. The good news is that the percentage of adults who always wear seat belts increased from 80% to 85% between 2002 and 2008. The bad news, though, is that means 1 in 7 adults do not wear a seat belt on every trip. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 5 to 34.
Primary Enforcement Laws
A primary enforcement seat belt law means a police officer can pull someone over and issue a ticket to the driver because someone in the vehicle is not wearing a seat belt. A secondary enforcement law allows a police officer to issue a ticket for someone not wearing a seat belt only if the driver has been pulled over for some other offense. Rhode Island has primary enforcement seat belt laws. Primary enforcement seat belt laws make a big difference in getting more people to buckle up. In 2010, 19 states—where 1 in 4 adult Americans live—did not have a primary enforcement law.
Rhode Island Car Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. It is important that you contact a Rhode Island car accident lawyer that has experience in handling these types of cases to make sure that you receive the legal help that you deserve. d’Oliveira and Associates has an office in Warwick and we have many years of experience with auto accident cases. Feel free to our toll free number at 1-800-992-6878, or fill out a contact form for a free (no obligation) case evaluation. There are no legal fees until you receive a settlement or award.
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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