In case you needed more convincing, seat belts can and have saved lives in many accidents.  Don’t believe me? Well there’s at least 10,000 Americans a year (per the Highway Traffic Safety Authority) that are saved by them, why not track one down and ask them if you should wear one?  Better yet, talk to your local volunteer EMS or emergency medical squad members and ask them – they can remember many bad and deadly accidents that were made worse by victims not wearing their seat belts or not having their child safety seats properly installed (we will discuss the child safety seats more later on in this article) . 

It’s not difficult to wear your seatbelt, it only takes a couple of seconds to click it into place, so what’s your excuse?  Unless your doctor has a good medical reason and gives you written permission not to wear your seatbelt you should wear one (a written prescription for not wearing your seatbelt is needed to avoid a ticket from your local state trooper or police officer).  Besides, in most states, it is against the law to not wear a seat belt and it can result in some pretty hefty fines and even points on your license and in some states this can be as much as a $200 fine per occupant – another great reason to wear your seat belt.

You should never wear the seatbelt across the stomach, this could result in serious internal injuries. You should wear the lap belt on your lap, across your hips. The shoulder strap should cross your collar bone and shoulder.  This may not be comfortable, but it is safe.  Everybody is different, seatbelts are designed to fit the average person. You should sit in your car with your back firmly against the back rest. If the seatbelt doesn’t fit you snugly then you should use a booster seat or a seat belt adjuster (both of which can be purchased cheaply at your local Walmart).