OT - buckle those belts!

Good post. I think personal anecdotes often persuade better than statistics. I hope your relative's recovery goes as smoothly as possible.

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We visit a friend who is permanently in a wheelchair. She has minimal use of her hands too. She rear-ended a car at about 20 MPH, and it was on a rare day when she wasn't using her seatbelt. Her neck is broken.

Seat belts can hurt like hell when you get in a major accident (like cart-wheeling a volvo), but that passes in a few days. Dead is forever.

'Curly'

I agree.

Here's mine: My car was broadsided by a drunk driver who ran a red light. It was a busy intersection, just after sunset. Between the impact and the brakes, my car did a 180 and ended up facing opposing traffic.

The car was totaled.

But I had only a small scratch on my lip from flying glass.

My passenger was unharmed.

Here's another safety tip: A car is not a safe place to ride out a tornado.

I've heard from several people who once believed that a car would protect them from all the flying debris that tornado force winds will create.

Here's what really happens.

--Nan

Agreed. Fortunately I'm a loyal seat belt wearer. One occasion was about

15 years ago - falling asleep behind the wheel with the seatbelt on. If it wasn't for the seatbelt I may not be here today. Fortunately it was a single car accident and no one else was in the car and no one was hurt. Car was totalled.

-Dave

This is all completely true: I can't imagine what people are thinking when they don't wear their seatbelt!

About a year ago I was driving on a small, narrow two-lane road, about

40 miles per hour, which is the speed limit. A drunk driver flew around a curve ahead and hit me head on, and the van behind me couldn't stop in time and rear-ended me. Neither one of the other drivers were wearing their seat belts, and they both died the same day. I, however, emerged with only a bruise on my abdomen and a broken thumb...much better off than the others.

It seems almost as if car manufacturers need to expand on Ford's idea in the 1990s: shoulder belts that automatically came on when you started the car. If someone could recreate that with a lap belt also, I'm sure it would prevent many deaths.

Of course, an even cheaper alternative would just be for everyone to REMEMBER TO BUCKLE UP!

Wow. A parent who has never heard or been told NEVER to put a 7 year old in the front seat?

Frankly, a 7 year old needs a booster--but at the VERY least, belongs in the back seat. If the car is designed such that the child's legs bend over the front of the seat cushion and the belt fits properly across his body, no booster would be needed.

But the front seat--hell, that's child abuse.

Sadly, the mother is not a very functional person... drugs, of various sorts. Detoxing while trying to recover from extensive liver injury is not my choice of ways to live, but that's her lot. She was not conscious to receive the citations for driving without a license, insurance or current registration. I'm just happy the 7 yr old was buckled up - probably the child's idea.

Mike