Do you wear a seat belt?

nell · May 30, 2002

Absolutely, EVERY time.

Thank goodness my son does too, as one month after he got his driver's license, he slid on wet road and rolled my car 3 times; if he and his friend hadn't been buckled, they would have been thrown and probably crushed.

Dianah, My Mom was a teacher and when I asked her this question, she said that until they design a better system - like on amusement rides or something, kids will just unbuckle and use the buckles as weapons to clobber their seat-mate. It's very difficult for a bus driver to control 30 kids hiding behind high seat-backs. I went on every field-trip my son went on in school and NEVER rode the bus - too wild!

Micro, it is not true that you only can harm yourself if you don't wear a seat-belt : a seat belt helps to hold the driver in a position of control in a skid or impact. Unbelted drivers and unhelmeted cyclists cost all of us $$ that we can ill afford on nursing salaries: more for emergency medical services, more medical treatment and rehabilitation, and higher health care and automobile insurance premiums are just a few of the costs.

Hey, if everybody wore their seat belts/helmets maybe there'd be enough nurses freed up from all of that trauma/rehab to alleviate the shortage?

Also, I take it you have no loved ones who would be hurt by your maiming/death?

eltrip · May 30, 2002

ALWAYS! I began wearing a seatbelt as soon as I started hearing that wearing could help save your life in an accident. I have always chosen to wear one because it makes sense to do so! My 5 year-old will even tell me to "Buckle up, Mommy!" if I don't do it fast enough to suit her! I forgot to buckle her into her booster seat yesterday & she yelled out to me when I started the car! Smart girl! :)

I get so angry when I see children unrestrained! They obviously haven't seen what can happen to a child who is unrestrained in an MVA!

SmilingBluEyes · May 30, 2002

I have worn seatbelts for over 20 years. Always have, always will. My kids know NO different. The benefits outweigh the risks of them in nearly EVERY case. And besides, it is the LAW in WA state...you can lose $86. per person w/o a belt here! They WILL stop cars just for restraint violations. Makes it mighty spendy not to wear it ya know?

P_RN, ADN, RN · May 30, 2002

My daughter got a ticket for speeding and a ticket for no seatbelt.

She decided to take it to court........for the SEATBELT ticket.

She told the judge that she was speeding, BUT she ALWAYS wears a seatbelt and had it on at the time.

The judge said he had never had anyone protest a seatbelt ticket and he dropped it. She still lost points for going 65 in a 55.

When I was in the 5th grade (1955 ewwww) my father had a brand new 1955 Olds. It had NO seatbelts. I wouldn't ride in it until he had them installed. The shop had to order them from out of state!

And EVERY time since 1955 that I have been in a moving vehicle......I wear a seatbelt. ALWAYS.

And anyone who wants to ride with me.....either as a passenger or driving their own car......SEATBELT or we aren't going anywhere.

Rustyhammer · May 30, 2002

I just seem to have a difficult time driving when I'm getting strangled by that shoulder belt. It hits me right on the neck and makes for an unpleasant trip.

I should uninstall it and replace it with a regular lap belt. I would probably wear that more often.

The kids always are sliding that shoulder belt behind them so they don't get choked either.

-Russell

CATHYW · May 30, 2002

Always! Even when going across parking lots-you never know who might be cutting through!

fedupnurse · May 30, 2002

They have these belt things you can slip on so they will fit you better. If the kids are putting the shoulder belt behind them they should be in booster seats. Really ugly, potentially fatal abd. injuries from just lap belts. All of us over 35 or so also know that cars when we were kids were like tanks. That isn't true today. With all these SUV's with their drivers on cell phones and going 90 down the NJ Turnpike or Parkway you already have someone else taking you life into their hands. Please get your seat belts to fit right. You will never forgive yourself if something happens to one of your kids!

That seat belt thing is called Sure-Fit I think and I believe I got one at Toys R Us. That was a few years ago.

I cannot tell you how many lives I saw permanently altered due to a lack of seat belt use. Frontal lobe injuries are devastating. Being thrown from the car because an airbag propells your unrestrained body just isn't worth it. The families of these critically injured people go thru absolute hell. I wouldn't want to put my family thru that!

We also all pay dearly for people's stupidity. These people sue everyone in sight. The car insurance rates go up, healthcare costs, etc. because people are careless with a deadly weapon and don't take the 2 seconds it takes to buckle up.

I'm off my soap box now!

Rustyhammer · May 30, 2002

And EVERY time since 1955 that I have been in a moving vehicle......I wear a seatbelt. ALWAYS.

I find that a bit hard to believe PRN.

Seatbelts didn't become standard equiptment on most cars til around '65.

-Russell

Rustyhammer · May 30, 2002

I am going to look up the toys-r-us site now and see if I can find the sure fit device.

Thank you fedupnurse.

-Russell

Y2KRN · May 30, 2002

Always, but I am concerned with airbags. I am very small and very short and I keep telling myself I am going to have my air bags shut off because I have to sit so close to the steering wheel.

Y2KRN

capgirl · May 31, 2002

I used to wear them without fail, but do admit I have gotten a little LAZY in the last year or so..........

Just took defensive driving course through work, WOW! that woke me up!

Now I am back to buckling up......

live4today, RN · May 31, 2002

originally posted by fedupnurse
i know we sometimes feel like we need one at work, but i am talking about when you are in your (or someone else's) car? i was astounded years ago when i worked trauma to discover that the director of the program did not wear a seat belt. granted the guy is convinced he is god in the flesh, but still!! i have always been a seat belt wearer and cannot fathom why people don't wear one. i can fathom even less when peole do not properly restrain their kids in cars!!
if you don't wear one, why not????

absolutely 100 percent of the time...all my life, now, and forevermore! made my children wear one at all times, make my grandchildren wear one at all times, and if anyone rides in my car, they must wear one or exit the vehicle!