Seat Belt Safety

SAFETY EQUIPMENT
We have all heard of the little old lady who lived in a small apartment and died of starvation. When the police went to investigate, they found over $10,000 in cash. She starved to death, yet she had the resources available to survive within her reach. What do you call someone like that?
Now let me pose another question. What do you call someone who dies when survival is within his or her reach? Like someone who dies in a crash because they didn't wear their seat belt. What is even worse is when someone does not put his or her child in a proper safety seat.
Lap/Shoulder Safety Belts
Florida's Law is "Click it, or Ticket!!"
Buckle up, It's the Law!!!
In 28 of the states with belt use laws in 2004, the law specified secondary enforcement. That is, police officers are permitted to write a citation only after a vehicle is stopped for some other traffic infraction.
As of December 2004, 49 states and the District of Columbia had belt use laws in effect. The laws differ from state to state, according to the type and age of the vehicle, occupant seating position, etc.
Research has found that lap/shoulder safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. For light truck occupants, safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 percent and moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent.
In 2004; 31,693 occupants of passenger vehicles (cars, light trucks, vans, and utility vehicles) were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents 74 percent of the 42,636 traffic fatalities reported for the year.
Among passenger vehicle occupants over 4 years old, safety belts saved an estimated 15,434 lives in 2004.
Ejection from the vehicle is one of the most injurious events that can happen to a person in a crash. In fatal crashes, 74% of passenger car occupants who were totally ejected from the vehicle were killed. Safety belts are effective in preventing total ejections. Only 1% of the occupants reported that were using restraints were totally ejected, compared with 29% of the unrestrained occupants.1
The facts speak for themselves. Whether you are going twenty miles an hour or eighty miles an hour, you are a lot better off wearing your safety belt. If you want to see first-hand safety equipment in operation, all you have to do is watch the NASCAR races on television. I have seen a car go over the wall and crash on the road below the track and the driver walked away. I know they have a lot more than just a shoulder and lap belt, but I also know that they are traveling over 180 miles per hour. You know what they say on television "Don't try this at home."
The 1999 NHTSA study, Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES), linked traffic and medical records in seven states to assess total costs of injury from motor vehicle crashes. The study found that the average inpatient costs for crash victims who were not using safety belts were 55 percent higher than for those who were belted. (Most current data available)
Proper Positioning and Adjustments of Safety Belts
Wear lap belts around your hips, not your stomach. Fasten them snugly. Wear a shoulder belt only with a lap belt. F.S. 316.614.
It is unlawful for any person:
To operate a motor vehicle in this state unless each passenger under the age of eighteen is restrained by a safety belt or by a child restraint device pursuant to F.S. 316.613, if applicable; or
To operate a motor vehicle in this state unless the person is restrained by a safety belt.
It is unlawful for any person eighteen years of age or older to be a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicle unless such person is restrained by a safety belt when the vehicle is in motion. Under the age of 18, use of seatbelts is a primary enforcement.
Any violation of these laws is considered a nonmoving violation that carries a fine.
Section 6.2. Head rests- Proper positioning and adjustment
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, whiplash injuries in the US, due to front or rear crashes cost more than 7 billion dollars a year. It is no wonder that the insurance companies have an active interest in the quality of headrest that is being installed and utilized in motor vehicles today.
In 1995 it was nearly impossible to find a good headrest. European car companies led the charge in providing quality adjustable headrests for the consumer.
A headrest is only effective if it is positioned properly. Most front and rear crashes cause the head to twist on the neck. This snapping action is what causes whiplash. The best way to prevent that from happening is to have a headrest adjusted so that the point of contact between your head and the headrest is right where the device meets the base of the skull (where the skull meets the top of the neck). Another good rule of thumb is that the point of contact should be no lower than the ears.
The position of your seat has a lot to do with the effectiveness of the headrest as well. The distance between the headrest and the back of your head should be as little as possible. If your car seat is reclined so low that it resembles the recliner in your living room instead of a driver seat it will do you little good. This distance defeats the purpose of the headrest. Your seat should be no more than at a 70-degree angle. Anything more than that is ineffective in preventing whiplash.
Section 6.3. Child restraints- Proper positioning, adjustment, and drivers legal responsibilities.
In 2004 in the US, there were 495 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities among children under 5 years of age. Of those 495 fatalities, an estimated 173 (35 percent) were totally unrestrained.2

Put your child in a child restraint seat!
It's the Law!!!

Among children under 5 years old, an estimated 451 lives were saved in 2004 by child restraint use. Of these 451 lives saved, 413 were associated with the use of child safety seats and 38 with the use of adult belts.1
Research on the effectiveness of child safety seats has found them to reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (1-4 years old) in passenger cars. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions are 58 percent and 59 percent, respectively.
If 100 percent of motor vehicle occupants under 5 years old were protected by child safety seats, an estimated 566 lives (that is, an additional 114) could have been saved in 2004.
Failure to read the child safety seat instructions, in addition to vehicle owner manual instructions regarding safety belts, could result in serious injury or death as a result of a failure of the child safety seat to be securely and/or properly installed.2
The law:
According to F.S.316.613 it is illegal to transport children without the proper safety restraints. If you are caught it is considered a moving violation that carries a penalty of three points on your license in addition to paying court costs and a fine, which could amount to approximately $93, depending on the court.
The legal guidelines for child restraints are as follows:
Children three and under must be secured by a federally approved separated or integrated child seat.
Children four to five years old must be secured by a federally approved separate or integrated child seat. A safety belt is also permissible at this age.
Children under five years of age or younger must be in a federally approved restraint device, which includes a safety belt, or an integrated or separate child seat.
The following are some guidelines that will help in insuring your child's safety.
If you are using a seat made for infants only, always face it backwards or until your child can sit up well.
Make sure that the shoulder harness is over the shoulder, and make sure that it is snug and that all of the straps are tight.
If you use an auto booster seat, always use it with the following:
Lap and shoulder belt
Tethered harness with lap belt
Shield with safety belt
Tether strap (if required)
Make sure the seat belt is in the correct position
To protect the child, the safety device used must have a label saying that it meets federal motor safety standards. It must be used correctly, with the child fastened into the car seat and the device fastened to the car. The child should ride in a place where an adult can always be watching. Insist that all children buckle their safety belts before starting the engine.
The position of the seat needs to be in the middle of the back seat, secured to the seat with seat belts.
Do not hold any child in your arms while riding in a moving motor vehicle. In that position, neither you nor the child you are holding is even remotely safe. As a matter of fact, that is the worst position for your child to be in. The child should be seated in a federally approved booster seat or car seat appropriate for their age.
It is the drivers' responsibility to insure that all children are correctly restrained in a proper booster, car seat or federally approved restraint device. If a child is not restrained properly, the driver will get the citation. Please consider the consequences if your child is not placed in a secured, approved safety device and you slam on your brakes. Your child becomes a tiny human projectile.
It is unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle in the state of Florida unless each passenger of the vehicle under the age of eighteen years is restrained by a safety belt or a child restraint device in compliance with F. S. 316.613 and F.S. 316.614.
For further information on child seats and restraints, you may refer to http://www.kidseat.org3
Section 6.4. Airbags including special precautions regarding children and small adults
Airbags, combined with lap/shoulder safety belts, offer the most effective safety protection available today for passenger vehicle occupants. It is estimated that, as of 2004, more than 157 million airbag-equipped passenger vehicles were on the road in the US, including 139 million with dual airbags. In 2004, an estimated 2,647 lives were saved by air bags. From 1987 to 2004, a total of 16,905 lives were saved.4
Air bags are supplemental protection and are not designed to deploy in all crashes. Most are designed to inflate in a moderate-to-severe frontal crash. For this and other reasons, lap/shoulder belts should always be used, even in a vehicle with an airbag.
Children in rear-facing child seats should not be placed in the front seat of vehicles equipped with passenger-side air bags. The impact of a deploying air bag striking a rear-facing child seat could result in severe injury or death. The NHTSA also recommends that children 12 and under sit in the rear seat away from the force of a deploying airbag.
It is recommended for small adults and the elderly to practice extra precautions as well. The force of an airbag could have a severe impact on these individuals. To prevent any unnecessary injuries, have the individual position their seat as far back as possible to lessen the impact of a deploying airbag.


Helmets
NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,316 motorcyclists in 2004 in the US. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 671 lives could have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists. Reported helmet use rates for fatally injured motorcyclists in 2004 were 56 percent for operators and 47 percent for passengers.5
OCCUPANT PROTECTION DEVICES
Automakers include the following safety devices to make sure your vehicle is as safe as it can be:
HEAD RESTRAINTS:
Adjusted to the middle of the head, level with the ears, it protects the neck from whiplash.
DOOR LOCKS:
Lock all doors. Door locks provide better protection in a collision, preventing occupants from being ejected.
COLLAPSIBLE STEERING COLUMNS:
The steering column collapses in a collision so that a driver's chest is protected from injury. The steering column absorbs some of the impact forces in a collision.
PADDED DASHBOARDS:
Designed to cushion the occupant if the occupant comes in contact with the dashboard.
REARVIEW MIRROR:
Rearview mirrors are glued on the windshield, not bolted to the frame of vehicle. If the occupant comes in contact with the mirror, the injury is less severe.
RECESSED KNOBS ON THE PANEL:
Vehicle designs try to eliminate any sharp or protruding knobs such as heater controls, radio knobs, and windshield wiper switches.
RECESSED DOOR HANDLES:
Designed to be somewhat recessed and smooth to prevent injury if contact is made to handles by occupants.6
Section 6.5. Importance of vehicle maintenance
It has been said if you take care of your car, it will take care of you. Nothing is truer in reference to taking care of your car. Safe driving depends on having our systems in good working order. Maintenance should be a daily habit. Check your mirrors, watch your lights and gauges, and if they indicate a problem, you either fix it or take it to someone who will fix it for you.
But there is much more to vehicle maintenance. There are procedures that you need to take care of at regular intervals. Your owner's manual is the best source of information on scheduled maintenance. It lists the equipment that needs to be checked and when this maintenance should take place. Some of the procedures are easy enough for you to do yourself. Others should be done by a trained mechanic. Once you know what they are and when they need to be done, it is up to you to arrange for maintenance.
These are the types of tasks that need to be completed, as suggested in the owner's manual:
Engine, Power Train, and Ignition Systems:
Tune the engine, change the transmission fluid, check clutch pedal travel and adjust as necessary, and lubricate parts of power train.
Fuel and Exhaust Systems:
Check fuel lines for leaks, replace fuel filter, replace air filter, clean carburetor, check performance of emission control system, and check exhaust pipe and muffler for leaks.
Steering and Suspension Systems:
Grease steering linkage, align front wheels, grease wheel bearings, and check condition of springs and shock absorbers.
Brakes:
Good brakes are an essential safety component in any motor vehicle. How long brakes last and how they perform depends on how you use and maintain them. If a leak develops in the brake system you may experience total or partial brake failure thus increasing the stopping distance. Steering may also become difficult. The braking system must be checked immediately and repaired. NEVER drive a car with a faulty braking system, regardless of the distance. Maintenance requires that you:
Check master cylinder and brake lines for leaks, check brake linings and drums (or pads and discs), check operation of parking brake.
Lights:
Headlight, taillights, brake lights, and turn signal lights can burn out. Check them by watching their reflection on a wall or a garage door. You may also ask someone to help you. Defective lights make your car hard to see.
Keep headlights aimed properly. Headlights aimed too high can temporarily blind an oncoming driver. Headlights aimed too low reduce your sight distance at night or during low-visibility conditions.
Lubrication and Cooling Systems:
Lubrication is the use of oil and grease to reduce friction in a car's moving parts. Lubrication prevents damage from heat and friction and keeps the moving parts operating efficiently. Drain engine oil and replace with fresh oil, change oil filter (whenever oil is changed), and change the coolant in your radiator at regular intervals.
Tires:
Tires are very important in having a safe trip. Remember that only a small portion of the tire is used to make the vehicle stop and turn. It is your only contact with the road. It is important to maintain the proper air pressure. Too little air even in one tire can make a car difficult to control. Tread on a tire helps to keep traction, which means control and the ability to stop on a wet surface.
You can extend the life of your tires by avoiding fast starts, stops and turns. Check tires periodically and rotate them regularly. Look for weak spots, cuts, blisters, rocks caught in the tread, and uneven wear. Replace tires before they become unsafe.