Most of us do it every day without even thinking about it. It’s just the simple act of pulling and clicking and it even comes with a comfortable secure feeling for some. Buckling up. Strapping in. No matter what you call it, wearing a seat belt is something that the majority of us are taught to do from a very young age. The modern version of the seat belt: the three-point belt was invented by a Swede by the name of Nils Bohlin and was first used in the 1959 Volvo.  Although there is no question that the pros outweigh the cons in terms of seatbelt use, it is important for everyone to know the possible negatives that could result from buckling up.

Pros:

- It will save your life in the majority of serious collisions.

- You are abiding by the law. Not buckling up is a ticketable offense all over the country.

- If everyone buckled up then the average amount Americans pay for health and car insurance premiums would drop significantly.

Cons

- In some cases, wearing a seat belt could cause further injury during specific types of collisions.

- It can be uncomfortable, especially for those with weight issues.

- Those who are concerned with the trivial matter of how they look or having “street cred” will find that wearing a seat belt greatly reduces their “image.”

Clearly, the statistics scream “pro-seat belt.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 90 percent of highway drivers wore their seat belt regularly in 2008. Also, seat belts saved 76,936 lives between 2003 and 2007 and could’ve saved the lives of 5,024 who passed away in collisions from not wearing a seat belt.

By K. Fitty Ditty

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