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Seatbelt Safety: 6 Reasons You Should Wear It Every TimeMany people are surprised to know that the vast majority of car accidents happen within five minutes of the home of the driver. The bad news is that this is also the spot that most drivers are the least likely to be wearing their seatbelt. It happens all the time: People hop in their car and think that because they’re just going down the road, they don’t need their seatbelt. Then, out of nowhere, they’re hit by a truck.

At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we want everyone to be as safe as possible on the roadways. That’s why we’re so passionate about everyone wearing their seatbelt. Read on to learn six reasons that it’s a good idea. If you or a loved one is involved in a car accident, please contact us at 909-982-0707 for your free legal consultation.

  1. Your seatbelt could save your life
  2. You’ve likely heard this so much that you don’t really take it to heart anymore, but it’s true: Seatbelts may not be able to prevent accidents but they can mean the difference between a sore shoulder and dying.

  3. It’s required by law
  4. If the fact that a seatbelt could save your life isn’t enough to convince you to wear it, then consider that it’s against the law. If you get pulled over by an officer for not wearing a seatbelt, then you could cost you hundreds of dollars. It could lead to time spent in court, dealing with hassles, and even taking traffic safety classes. It could also result in higher insurance premiums. In short, it’s just not worth it.

  5. Your airbags assume that you have your seatbelt on
  6. Airbags and other innovative safety devices work on the assumption that the person they’re being employed against is wearing their seatbelt. If you’re not, then the airbag may not be able to help you. Why? Because your body will be moving differently than the airbag is assuming it will be moving.

  7. You could get less in a personal injury case
  8. If you’re involved in an accident and you’re not wearing a seatbelt, the attorney for the other side could try to reduce your award. They could argue that if you had been wearing your seatbelt – which, again, is required by law – that your injuries wouldn’t have been as serious.

  9. You could get injured even if you’re not in a wreck
  10. Without a seatbelt on, you don’t even need to get into a wreck to be injured. You could simply hit your breaks too hard and end up hitting the steering wheel.

  11. People will judge you
  12. There may have been a time and place that it was cool to refuse to wear a seatbelt but that time has passed. If you don’t wear a seatbelt, you can count on being judged by those who worry about your safety.

Once again, we hope that you’ll wear your seatbelt every time you get in your vehicle. We also hope that you’ll call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you’re ever injured in an accident.