Wear Your Bleepin Seatbelt!

[COEngineer]

Am I the only one tired of reading/hearing recovery stories from people who nearly died in a car accident simply because they were not wearing a seatbelt? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they survived - one of them was an aunt of mine, another a son of a dear friend, etc. And maybe they said it in private or got tired of saying it before I heard the story, but I have never heard one of them say, "I should have been wearing my seatbelt, there is no excuse for not wearing it. Don't be like me, wear your seatbelt!"

Maybe I am just a heartless jerk, but without hearing some remorse, I have a hard time being sympathetic. Maybe they are just so focused on the day-to-day struggle of recovery that they don't have time for remorse?

 

[Nameless Range]

I guess I have never really run across someone who says they survived an accident because they weren't wearing a seatbelt. Been on the scene of a handful of fatalities in the last few years with the local VFD. In 4 of the last 5 that I can think of, folks not using a seatbelt contributed to the deaths of those involved.

I am a zealot for seatbelt use.

Wear Your Seatbelt

I'm sure there are LEOs and others on here who deal with this more than they wished they would, but this weekend ended in horror for my family. A truck pulling a trailer directly in front of us began to fishtail and flipped, rolling the truck. The driver was ejected. My wife called 911 and I...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Dunning Kruger]

Never been in an accident until about a month ago. Rolled my truck. Not a scratch on me. I always wear my seatbelt.

 

[BuckRut]

This could probably go hand in hand with know your target 100% before you pull the trigger. Rinella mentioned it on his podcast today and I completely agree with him that I have a hard time picturing how people think not only are they aiming at an elk or deer but that they are aiming at a very specific spot on that animal and it is a person.

 

[MT Bound]

Every year there are deaths that would have been avoidable if people were wearing seatbelts, very sad, especially when you hear of the local teenage kids that are gone forever...

 

[Cammy]

Have worn a seatbelt since I was told in Basic Training that I would be responsible for my own medical bills if I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. Don't drive anywhere without one now.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Victims in deadly Tudor Road head-on crash identified by police

The two people killed in a crash earlier this week have been identified by the Anchorage Police Department.

www.alaskasnewssource.com

Theodore aka Brad, was a friend and classmate and was supposed to come with us on our caribou hunt on Adak. Not sure if a seatbelt would have saved his life or not... awesome person who left a huge void.

Buckle up.

 

[westbranch]

I guess I have never really run across someone who says they survived an accident because they weren't wearing a seatbelt. Been on the seen of a handful of fatalities in the last few years with the local VFD. In 4 of the last 5 that I can think of, folks not using a seatbelt contributed to the deaths of those involved.

I am a zealot for seatbelt use.

Wear Your Seatbelt

I'm sure there are LEOs and others on here who deal with this more than they wished they would, but this weekend ended in horror for my family. A truck pulling a trailer directly in front of us began to fishtail and flipped, rolling the truck. The driver was ejected. My wife called 911 and I...

www.hunttalk.com

Sadly, I do know a guy like this but haven't seen him in years. Somehow survived t-boning a vehicle that pulled out in front of him while going 70+ mph and not wearing a seatbelt. And was convinced a seatbelt would have killed him. It would be interesting to know if his ideas on this has changed in the last 15 yrs as I think he is now married with kids.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

100% wear your seatbelt, not wearing it can result in your death in otherwise relatively safe collisions. Just the other day, I responded on the same day to three vehicle rollovers within a short stretch of highway. All occupants had their seatbelts and all walked out of their vehicles. Not wearing a seatbelt is a sure way to prevent that.

 

[Pucky Freak]

My hunting buddy rolled his truck 2 months ago on the highway. Wearing seatbelt and unscathed, despite truck being totaled. He said without wearing one he likely would have been ejected, as that was the fate of the non-human objects inside the cab.

 

[wa_archer]

I have been amazed of some of the collisions i have been to where people walked away due to seat belt use. And the excuse of its my own decision it only affects me is totally ignorant, it effects most importantly your family/friends, medical staff, road delays due to now being an injury collision. no excuse no matter how short the trip.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

He said without wearing one he likely would have been ejected, as that was the fate of the non-human objects inside the cab.

There's a reason why we do a perimeter check when first responders arrive on a scene and it's not to look for ejected cellphones and wallets.

 

[Jcs271]

Retired after 25yrs as a So.Cal. LEO. Went to untold number of crashes. Only ONE crash was the deceased party belted in (and it was truly an unsurvivable crash with a semi). Every other fatality was unbelted! And like others have stated, I have seen people walk away from crashes that were nothing short of horrific. The numbers speak for themselves, buckle up or die, your choice!

 

[Gr8bawana]

When I was a teenager I never wore a seatbelt. Yes, I was an extremely lucky idiot when I was young. Now as an old guy I would never dream of driving without wearing a seatbelt.
My new truck has a very annoying feature that is a warning light and a loud and incessant chime that doesn't stop until the seatbelt is clicked on.

 

[wolfpup]

Grew up in a rural area and was very common not to wear seatbelts. Occasionally I would forget to put mine on for commuting purposes, but my sophomore year in high school my basketball coach gathered us all in the gym and explained to us that his wife was in a car accident and thrown from the car and run over by the other vehicle and killing her. The vehicle was not in that bad of condition and the incident report and all involved believe had she been wearing her seatbelt she would have survived. She was also pregnant. We were a super small community and everybody knew everybody and was a very sobering moment in my life and since that day its the first thing I do when I get in a car.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Wearing a seatbelt can be beneficial even if it doesn't save your life. My late wife's accidental death policy paid a $50K bonus because she was wearing her seatbelt in the fatal MVA.

 

[slamdmini]

i wear my seatbelt 100% of the time. in high school my friends rolled their car, one wasnt wearing a seatbelt and was ejected, the other had his belt on. the one that stayed in the car died instantly. the one that was ejected got a cut on his head that required a few staples and thats it. crazy things do happen

 

[FranklinME]

I can’t believe this is even a discussion in this day and age. Darwin always wins I guess...

 

[MarvB]

Became part of my routine back in the early 80s with the USFS... tire chalks removed, lights on, seatbelts, go... every time we left the yard. Been wearing them ever since.

 

[WestKyHunt]

I have always wore mine and feel strange when sitting in a vehicle without it on.
Yearly roll over training with the army drove it in even further. Nothing like being tossed around in a HMMV with 4 other guys, weapons, fire extinguisher and ammo cans