The Missouri State Highway Patrol recently reported their statewide fatality statistics as of July 27th below are their results:
2014 Totals as of 7/27/14: 402 Fatalities
2013 Totals as of 7/27/13: 392 Fatalities
2012 Totals as of 7/27/12: 474 Fatalities
As you can see Missouri’s fatality rate is up by 3% year-to-year. What is troubling is that 62% of 2014’s fatalities occurred with the deceased not wearing their seat belt. This represents a total of 249 individuals who were killed while not wearing a seatbelt.
According to the National Safety Council seat wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50 percent; 125 lives could have been saved if these individuals were wearing seat belts. One of the most difficult aspects of being a personal injury lawyer is seeing these types of accidents resulting in a fatality that could have been prevented if they simply put on their seat belt. There is no other way to say it; seat belts save lives! Below are some quick facts about the importance of seat belts:
Nationally, over 60% percent of passenger vehicle occupant’s ages 13 to 15 and 21 to 34 killed in traffic crashes were not using seat belts. These groups represent the highest percentage out of all the age groups.
Research has shown that lap/shoulder seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%.
Ejection from the vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fatal crashes in 2008, 77% of passenger vehicle occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed.
2012 Totals as of 7/27/12: 474 Fatalities
Among passenger vehicle occupants over age 4, seat belts saved an estimated 13,250 lives in 2008. If all passenger vehicle occupants over age 4 had worn seat belts, 17,402 could have been saved.
Injury avoidance was the most frequent reason given for wearing a seat belt.
The vast majority of the public 16 and older either strongly agree (88%) or somewhat agree (7%) with the statement “If I were in an accident, I would want to have my seat belt on.” However, about one-half (47%) of 16- to 20-year olds also agreed with the statement “Seat belts are just as likely to harm you as help you.”
About one in five people (19%) either strongly (13%) or somewhat (6%) agreed with the statement “I would feel self-conscious about my friends if I wore a seat belt, and they did not.” However, more than one in four (30%) of 16- to be 20-year-olds strongly or somewhat agreed with this statement.
The most common reasons given by drivers in the 16-20 age group for not wearing seat belts were that they forgot or were driving a short distance.
When asked whether they favor front seat belt laws, 66 percent of 16- to be 20-year-olds said they favor them “a lot,” lot”, and 26 percent said they favor them “some.”
Source:National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Safety Facts Data – Occupant Protection
Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
At Ransin Injury Law in Springfield Missouri, our job may be to help individuals, and their families recover after a crash, however, our greater passion is public education and accident prevention. No matter what your question, please don’t hesitate to call. For more than 30 years, I’ve fought for my client’s rights and to help get them what they deserved, I’d like to do the same for you.