Isn’t wearing a safety belt a personal decision which affects only me?
The decision to wear a safety belt affects many people. First, the consequences of not wearing a safety belt can greatly affect your family and loved ones. How would it affect YOU if a loved one was killed, disabled, or seriously injured as the result of not buckling up? Second, it is your responsibility to maintain control of your vehicle. It is not uncommon for a car to continue moving after a crash, and safety belts are your best chance of remaining able to safely steer and/or stop your car before it strikes another person or vehicle. Finally, the cost of not wearing a safety belt is borne by all who pay insurance premiums. A crash in which a safety belted driver might receive only bumps and bruises might result a costly hospital stay for the unbelted driver. That cost is spread across the insurance premiums of ALL drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Agency estimates Ohioans would save over $1 billion a year if another 10 percent of drivers would wear safety belts.
