Under Missouri’s Graduated Drivers License Law, seat belt use is required for young drivers. Unfortunately 40 percent of Missouri teens still don’t buckle up. Starting today and continuing through the end of the month, law enforcement will issue tickets to unbuckled drivers.
So why aren’t teens buckling up? A Southern Boone High School student says, “I just don't see it as the most important thing. I think there are other things you can do to avoid a crash.” Do you think the 304 teens killed in traffic crashes over the past three years thought the same thing?
Wearing a seat belt isn’t going to help you prevent a crash. It will, however, greatly increase your odds of surviving a crash. One in four Missouri traffic crashes involves a young driver, and seven out of 10 teens killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled.
Wear your seat belt every time you get in your car. It doesn’t matter if you’re going across town or to another state. It is one of the easiest ways you can protect yourself. Don’t wait until you are in a crash to realize it’s too late. Buckle up and Arrive Alive.
1 comment:
Here in NY it's not just young drivers required to buckle up. It should be a habit for everyone -- seatbelt laws or not. I've heard excuses about what-if ...the car is on fire, you're going under water, etc. Accidents are more likely than fires or drowning and if you need to there are devices to keep in your car to slice the seatbelt and break the auto glass to escape. If you don't have your seatbelt on, you may not be conscious to use a door or window crank.
I don't put my car in drive unless everyone in the car is buckled to stay alive. Someone can use that in a video. I care about my passengers as well as myself. It's a great habit for my kids, etc. One friend of mine with a very new fancy car told her passengers that her car won't go into gear unless everyone's buckled in. LOL
Think of all the drivers who are survivors--but their friends aren't. Don't just buckle up if you're the driver. You NEVER want to be the only survivor.
Also, we need to teach people that it doesn't matter how good a driver THEY are. What about someone else? Someone old unable to see? Someone drunk? Someone tired and falls asleep at the wheel? What about someone who has a heart attack while driving? Cars are deadly weapons. You need to be alert not to get hurt. You're not alone on the road.
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