It could save your life
There’s a common misconception that the back seat of a vehicle is safer than the front seat. Many backseat passengers use this theory to justify not buckling up. This is especially true for people who regularly use rideshare vehicles, carpools, or taxis. Unfortunately, this theory is incorrect because it’s extremely dangerous to ride in the back seat without buckling up. In 2015, 1,018 unrestrained back seat passengers died in auto accidents. Additionally, a new study just found that in the event of a car accident, an unbuckled rear passenger poses a huge risk to the front seat driver and passenger because they essentially turn into a human missile.
Let’s look at some numbers and statistics from a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) report and survey:
- Passengers are least likely to use a seatbelt in the back when they are travelling a short distance in a hailed car (Uber, Lyft, or taxi).
- 4 out of 5 adults surveyed said they didn’t bother using a belt if they were travelling a short distance in a rideshare or taxi.
- 72% of 1,172 people surveyed said they always use a seatbelt in the back seat while 91% said they always used one in the front seat.
- Adults aged 35-54 were least likely to report buckling in the back seat.
- 73% of adults 18-34 reported always bucking up in the back seat. – https://www.iihs.org/
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), passengers in the back seat are three times more likely to die in a crash if they aren’t wearing their seatbelt.
“That statistic doesn’t change just because you’re in a rideshare or a taxi,” Jonathan Adkins, executive director of GHSA, said. “We need rear-seat passengers to understand that seat belts are critical for them, too.”
Adkins says the key to solving the problem on all fronts is “a combination of strong rear-seat laws coupled with widespread education campaigns.” – www.usatoday.com
As of today, all adults riding in the front seat are required to wear a belt in every state and the District of Columbia, except New Hampshire. 29 states require back seat passengers to wear a belt. In California, a driver can be pulled over and fined if anyone in the vehicle is not wearing their seatbelt.
If you have further questions about California’s seatbelt laws or you were injured in an automobile accident, give Eason & Tambornini a call today.
