Last weekend many people throughout the United States took advantage of the extra day off to see friends and family. Because of the long holiday weekend, it is not uncommon to travel to do so, resulting in more vehicles on the nation’s roads. Often those voyages are uneventful. Other times however they end in a traffic accident. Sometimes those accidents are catastrophic.
Seat belt enforcement campaign
As a precaution, each year authorities in the state take steps to keep the occupants of vehicles safe. This year the “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign runs through June 5. According to a survey conducted by the University of Kentucky Transportation Center, 86.7 percent of drivers in the state use their seat belts. Those individuals may be doing more than just following the law-they could be saving their lives as well.
Seat belts save lives
While wearing seat belts does not actually prevent crashes from occurring, statistics provided by the NHTSA indicate they may save lives when they do happen. Specifically, the occupants of the front seat who wear their seat belts will find the risk of fatal injury reduced by 45 percent. In vans, SUVs and trucks, that number is even higher-60 percent. Similarly, the risk of injury characterized as moderate-to-critical is reduced 50 percent and 65 percent for the different vehicle types, respectively.
Though the initiative does not run all summer, since it is a time of year that many people set off on road trips, kicking the season off with it may serve as a reminder to drivers and passengers all summer of how taking a moment to secure the belt can keep you safe. If a crash does occur, after securing medical attention, it may be possible to take legal action as well. A lawyer who handles personal injury cases can help determine whether your situation warrants a lawsuit.