Wearing a Seat Belt Saved a Driver's Life
The unseat-belted passenger died at the scene
By Denise Rivette
Earlier this month on a Montana highway in a rural county, a Toyota 4Runner in wet and slushy conditions lost control of his vehicle due to road conditions. The driver overcorrected causing the vehicle to go off the right side of the highway where the tires sunk in the mud leading the vehicle to roll. The 50-year-old male driver was wearing a seat belt and uninjured. His 56-year-old male passenger was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene. Montana Highway Patrol is the investigating agency.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Among drivers and front-seat passengers, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45%, and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%. Seat belts prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected during a crash. People not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash.” According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, being ejected from a vehicle is almost always deadly.
Friendly Driving Reminders:
Buckle your seat belt and use all safety equipment properly.
Make sure you to keep your fuel tank at least 1/4 full.
Drive alert and without impairment - If you’ve been partying or are sleepy, stay where you are. If you are hosting a party, make it a sleepover for those who have driven.
Even if you are late, don’t hurry. Far better to make it alive than not make it at all.
Slow down at night, when visibility is impaired, and when road conditions are not dry and clear. This is also the season of flash frozen roads and dashing deer.
Be aware of the area all around you. Even if you are driving perfectly, vehicles and other hazards are unpredictable. That’s why they are called accidents.
In addition, make sure you have a shovel and emergency survival equipment and supplies in your vehicle. Make sure your phone is charged. Make sure someone knows the route you are traveling and knows you arrived safely.