A Word (or two) on Buckling Up

The very first Printed Thought blog post debuted in September of 2009. I delayed discussing the following subject because it occurred only a month previous, in early August of last year. At the time, it was a little too raw, (and to be honest - not the most uplifting topic for a first blog post), so I saved it and its important accompanying images for almost exactly one year later.

Just shy of a year ago, my younger sister was in an automobile accident on her way driving to work on a rainy summer morning. Thank the Heavens she didn't even have a scratch after a precautionary visit to the ER, just some resulting back and neck soreness from whiplash, but it was a profound first-hand reminder that seat belts, undoubtedly, save lives.

Seat belts help restrain both driver and passengers to their seats in the event of a collision. When worn correctly, the lap belt (which rests over the pelvis), and the shoulder belt (which extends over the chest), apply most of the stopping force to the rib cage and pelvis, relatively sturdy parts of the body. The power of inertia is humbling; if a car is hurtling down the road at 60 miles per hour, so is its driver...although he or she may just be sitting there seemingly motionless from an interior perspective, with one foot on the gas pedal. Which means, if the vehicle were to suddenly come to an abrupt stop, the contents inside the vehicle would still be moving at 60 mph. In that event, it would be quite noticeable that the inertia of the car's contents are absolutely independent of the car's inertia.

According to a research report from the National Highway and Transit Safety Administration, seatbelts save approximately 13,000 lives in the United States each year. Furthermore, the NHTSA estimates that 7,000 U.S. car accident fatalities would have been avoided if the victims had been wearing belts.

So as a courteous safety reminder, dear readers, please buckle up whenever you get into a moving vehicle (even if it's in a NYC taxi). Remind those around you to follow suit. If you're the driver, it's ultimately your responsibility that your passengers have their seat belts fastened. Not only is it the primary and/or secondary enforcement law in 50/51 states, it's also the simplest action you can take to help ensure that you and your loved ones arrive at any given destination, safely.