Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on January 28, 2016
Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Begins Seatbelt Safety Campaign
Seatbelts dramatically reduce the risk of death and serious injuries in the event of a motor vehicle accident, and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is launching a campaign to increase the number of drivers and passengers who use them.
According to a report by the Daily News Journal, the campaign will kick off on Feb. 1 and run through Aug. 1. The campaign is sponsored by the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, which also released statistics that indicate 50 percent of people who are killed in traffic accidents in Tennessee weren’t wearing their seatbelts.
To gauge the level of seatbelt safety awareness in the county, deputies will conduct surveys in various subdivisions and send out educational materials, conduct seatbelt safety checkpoints, and organize child passenger car seat events.
The RCSO conducted a similar campaign last year and says that seatbelt usage in the county increased by 14 percent—which was reflected in the county also having 12 percent fewer fatal traffic accidents in 2015 than in 2014.
One specific area of seatbelt compliance that deputies will focus on is nighttime driving, as a high percentage of fatal accidents where drivers and passengers are unbuckled occur between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
5 Important Facts about Seatbelts from the NHTSA
At Matt Hardin Law, our Murfreesboro auto accident attorneys strongly believe in the importance of seatbelts when it comes to keeping drivers and passengers safe—and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration agrees. In fact, the organization created a list of five things that all drivers and passengers should know about seatbelts:
Modern vehicles are equipped with a wide variety of safety features, but the most effective and important is the seatbelt. According to the NHTSA, seatbelts saved more than 75,000 lives in vehicle accidents between 2004 and 2008.
Although air bags can reduce the impact associated with car accidents, they can’t replace the primary functions of seatbelts—which are to restrain vehicle occupants in their seats during car accidents.
Buckling up improperly is better than not wearing a seatbelt at all, but you must wear a seatbelt correctly to get the full safety benefits. Make sure the entire belt is tight across your body, and that the shoulder harness goes across your rib page and the lap belt goes across your pelvis.
In order for a seatbelt to be fully effective at protecting you during a crash, it not only needs to be worn correctly, but it also needs to fit correctly. Make sure your seat belt fits across your body properly without being too tight or too loose, and consider getting new seatbelts if your vehicle is older and is only equipped with lap belts.
As the driver, it’s your responsible to not only buckle yourself up, but also to make sure that all occupants of your vehicle are buckled up. That includes passengers of all ages. Make sure children are properly secured not only with seatbelts, but also with age-appropriate safety seats, including car seats and booster seats.
Car accidents at any speed can put your life at risk due to the high levels of force involved. Buckling up can go a long way toward not only saving your life, but also protecting you from serious and debilitating injuries that are common in car accidents. Make it a habit to buckle up every time you enter a vehicle, whether you’re the driver or a passenger.
If you or someone you love was injured in an auto accident caused by a negligent or careless driver, our Murfreesboro car accident lawyers want to help you recover full compensation for your accident-related expenses. Costs such as medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repair costs can all be recouped with a successful damages claim. To find out how we can assist you, dial (615) 600-4941 or complete a free online consultation form.
