Would you be surprised to know that most car accidents happen within five minutes of the home of the driver? What if we told you that a person’s own neighborhood is also the place where they’re least likely to wear their seatbelt? When you combine these two stats, it’s not hard to see that this can lead to tragedies.
It’s true that people in California are more likely to use seatbelts than people in other states but there are still steps that can be taken to make your neighborhood safer. The truth is that it’s essential to wear a seatbelt every time you get into your car. Here are some of the most important reasons but if you’ve been in a car accident, whether you were wearing a seatbelt or not, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 right away for a free case evaluation.
A seatbelt will literally save your life
I know it’s said so much that it’s almost not even heard anymore, but buckling up can save lives. It’s true that no seatbelt can prevent an accident, nor can they prevent catastrophic injuries altogether, they can help soften the blow. Hundreds of studies have been shown that prove that a person who’s not wearing a seatbelt is much more likely to die and much more likely to have serious injuries compared to someone who is wearing their seatbelt.
Not wearing a seatbelt can hit you where it hurts – your wallet
If saving your life isn’t enough to make you rethink wearing your seatbelt, consider that not wearing your seatbelt can result in a traffic stop. The consequences could result in a ticket of just $20 or it could result in hundreds of dollars of fines. It depends on how many people are in the vehicle and how old they are. If you get caught several times without a seatbelt, you can expect your fines to go up.
Airbags only work correctly if you’re wearing a seatbelt
Too often people think that because they have an airbag they don’t need to wear a seatbelt. The opposite is actually true because your airbag was designed for people who are wearing seatbelts. If you don’t have one, then your airbag isn’t going to help as well – and it may not help at all. Why? Because your body will move very differently without a seatbelt as it would with one.
Your insurance company may punish you
There are a few ways that your car insurance company can punish you for not wearing a seatbelt. First, they may not cover a claim you make for an injury if you weren’t wearing your seatbelt. Second, they are likely to raise your premiums if you’re given a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.
The truth is that it simply makes sense to wear a seatbelt, whether you’re traveling 500 miles or just 500 feet. If you’ve been injured in any type of accident then the experienced attorneys at Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas look forward to your call at 909-982-0707.
