As Safety Belt Use Increases, So Does The Need to Eliminate Seat Belt Defects
US Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters says that more people than ever before are using safety belts. According to the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration figures:
• 83% of vehicle occupants are wearing seat belts during daytime hours this year, compared to 82% in 2007.
• The NHTSA says that an additional 270 lives are saved for every 1% increase in seat belt use.
• 84% of car occupants are using safety belts.
• Pickup truck riders are buckling up 74% of the time.
• 86% of SUV and van riders are using seat belts.
• In 2008, safety belt use on freeways is at 90%, compared to 89% in 2007.
The NHTSA attributes the increase in seat belt use to high profile local, state, and national enforcement efforts, such as “Click It or Ticket” Campaign.
Dangers of Defective Seat Belts
Seat belt use can decrease injuries and save lives. According the NHTSA and the US Department of Transportation, 15,383 lives were saved in 2006 because of safety belt use. However, seat belts can only save lives as long as they are not defective or improperly designed.
Seat belts are supposed to keep an occupant securely in his or her seat in the event of a traffic collision. A defective or poorly designed seat belt, however, can fail to prevent a person from being thrown into the windshield or ejected from the vehicle during a serious crash and may cause additional injuries. In the event of a vehicle rollover, a person using a defective seat belt may be even more prone to catastrophic injuries.
It is the responsibility of auto manufacturers to make sure that the seat belts in their vehicles are working correctly. Unfortunately, some motor vehicle makers have been slow to admit there is a problem with a vehicle once it is out in the marketplace. For more information about defective seat belts, please visit the Seat Belt and Restraint System Defects section of our Web site for more information.
Seat Belt use Hits Record Level in 2008, DOT.gov, September 17, 2008
Seat Belt Use Report (PDF)
Related Web Resources:
Click It Or Ticket, NHTSA
Seat Belt Injuries Could Signal More Serious Trauma In Children, ScienceDaily, August 10, 2007
Gilbert, Ollanik, & Komyatte PC is nationally recognized as an auto products liability law firm committed to helping families recover compensation for injuries caused by defective auto parts. Our products liability lawyers have gone up against some of the largest car manufacturers in the world on behalf of our injury clients and won.
