Seatbelt Statistics: The Numbers Overwhelmingly Support the Use of Seatbelts

Seat belt use is the single most important safety measure you can take. Here are just a few statistics that make the case.

Seatbelt use is the single most effective measure you can take to protect yourself in an automobile. Conversely, failure to wear a seatbelt contributes to more fatalities than any other single traffic behavior.

63% of people killed in auto accidents were not wearing seatbelts, despite the fact that 68% of people wear their seatbelts. Thus, non-seatbelt wearers account for only 32% of motorists but 63% of fatalities. By contrast, those who wear seatbelts represent 68% of the people on the road but only 37% of the fatalities.

Among those injured in car accidents, the cost of treating unbelted crash victims is 50% higher than the cost of treating belted crash victims. The fair inference is that injuries are substantially more severe for the unbelted than they are for the belted. Our experience as Erie car crash lawyers is consistent with this inference.

Beyond the individual tragedies associated with not wearing a seatbelt are the societal costs. As a society, we help to pay for the emergency responders, medical treatment, and loss in production associated with auto injuries. Thus, the greater incidence of serious injury and death associated with failure to wear a seatbelt results in higher taxes, higher healthcare costs, and higher insurance costs.

It is estimated that if 90% of Americans wore seatbelts, there would be 5,500 fewer deaths annually; 132,000 fewer injuries; a 25% reduction in child fatalities; and a savings of $8.8 billion annually.

The Pennsylvania car accident lawyers at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. encourage everyone to buckle up. It’s the right thing to do for yourself, for your family, and for your community.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in northwest Pennsylvania, the auto injury lawyers at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. can help. Call today for your free consult at 814-273-2010, or use the consult form. We’ll help you to get the compensation you need for treatment, for lost wages, and to make up for your losses.