An alarming trend is emerging in 2022, an increase in the number of fatal car crashes involving and unbuckled driver or passenger. The four leading causes of deaths in vehicle crashes are speed, impairment, distraction and being unbuckled. Often there are two, three or all four of these factors in one crash. Tragic outcomes can be prevented by safe choices by the driver and passengers. The current seat belt law went into effect in June 2009. This requires all drivers and passengers in all seats must be buckled up or in a correct child restraint. Children model adult behavior, meaning if adults buckle up consistently, children will, too.  Consequences of being unbuckled:

• Fines ranging from $25 and up, with additional fee per person unbuckled in one vehicle.
• Passengers over the age of 16 who are unbuckled will be ticket directly if pulled over.
• Ejection from a vehicle in a crash is 30 times more likely without a seat belt.
• Seat belts reduce the risk of serious injury and death by 40-60 percent.
• Medical treatment costs are higher for those unbuckled in a crash compared to those who were securely buckled.
• Being unbuckled in the back seat can make the body a lethal weapon, moving forward with enough force to break the back of someone in the front or causing serious brain injury from impact.

Everything in a vehicle can cause bodily harm in a crash, except your seat belt, which can save you. A seat-belted driver has a better chance of maintaining control of the vehicle during and immediately following a collision, protecting passengers and others on road. A common myth is that if you are not going far or traveling fast, you can forego a seatbelt. The truth is that seemingly routine trips can be deceptively dangerous. Most crashes happen within 25 miles from home and at speeds of less than 40 mph.

The Top 5 Things You Should Know About Buckling Up

1. Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash
Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle; being completely ejected from a vehicle is almost always deadly.

2. Air bags are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them 
If you don’t wear your seat belt, you could be thrown into a rapidly opening frontal air bag. Such force could injure or even kill you.

3. Guidelines to buckle up safely
The lap belt and shoulder belt should be secure across the pelvis and rib cage, which are better able to withstand crash forces than other parts of the body. The shoulder belt should be across the middle of the chest and away from the neck. The lap belt should be across the hips, not the stomach. And NEVER put the shoulder belt behind the back or under an arm.

4. Fit matters
Before you purchasing a vehicle, check to see that its seat belts are a good fit for you. Ask your dealer about seat belt adjusters, which can help you get the best fit. Vehicle manufacturers may the option of seat belt extenders. If you drive an older or classic car with lap belts only, check with your vehicle manufacturer about how to retrofit your car with today’s safer lap/shoulder belts.

5. Seat belt safety for children
Seek information on specific car restraints for babies and children, including rear or front facing car seats and booster seats. Up to 80% of car seats are used incorrectly.