I personally know of 2 people who are alive today because they did not have
seatbelts on. One rolled a Sunbeam Alpine, and he tucked his torso over into
the empty passenger's seat area as the car rolled. (The windshield frame
doesn't support a great deal of weight.) He came out unscathed. The other
was driving a non-LBC on a two-lane country highway at night, and crested a
hill to find an unlit semi-trailer sideways across the road. He only just
managed to duck down onto the passenger's side before the car went under the
semi, shearing the roof. Although he did suffer a broken neck, and is now
confined to a wheelchair, he survived. He got to spend more time with his 3
kids as they grew up, and to watch them graduate college. In fact, he has
since gotten his own degree in architecture.
What does all this mean? That's entirely up to the individual. I'm somewhat
of a fatalist, so I see it as if it's your time, you'll go no matter what
you do or don't do. I drive enthusiastically, but sensibly. If I'm in a
modern car, I wear my seatbelt, but I've not added seatbelts to any of my
LBCs or BBCs (I have a couple Humbers - they're NOT little). If something
happens and my time is up, so be it. But defensive driving has protected me
well for over 25 years.
As for the legal issues, I'm waiting for a case that will PROVE someone died
BECAUSE of their seatbelt, and the resulting lawsuit. I feel it's my choice
to wear or not wear a seatbelt, and any results of that choice are my own
responsibility. It's fine with me that the government mandate cars be built
with seatbelts and airbags, but as soon as they tell me I MUST wear that
seatbelt, they're taking responsibility away from me, and putting it on
themselves. That's not what government is for.
Just my 2p worth.
Jon Arzt
Omaha, NE USA
----- Original Message -----
>>>But its better more times than not, ask me how I know...
>>
>>
>> Ok, I'll bite, how do you know ? Can you point to just one study that
>> took a
>> random collection of real world accidents, and recreated them with
>> precision
>> showing the effects of both wearing and not wearing a seat belt ? All
>> the
>> studies I've seen are either anecdotal evidence that seems suspect, or
>> done with
>> cars hitting a "brick wall" head-on. Anyone who deliberately drives into
>> a
>> brick wall deserves what they get.
>
> Why would one do such a thing? There's very good statistical evidence
> that seat belts wearing saves lives and reduces injury. NHTSA statistics
> show that 60 percent of highway fatalities weren't wearing a seat belt.
> The hospital bills for unrestrained passengers are also something like 50%
> higher than for restrained passengers.
|