Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, "But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead."
Maybe
ten-year-old
Elizabeth
put
it
best
when
she
said
to
her
father
,
``
But
,
Dad
,
you
ca
n't
be
healthy
if
you
're
dead
.
''
Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt--a mistake 75% of the US population make every day.
Dad
,
in
a
hurry
to
get
home
before
dark
so
he
could
go
for
a
run
,
had
forgotten
to
wear
his
safety
belt
--
a
mistake
75
%
of
the
US
population
make
every
day
.
The big question is why.
The
big
question
is
why
.
There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago.
There
have
been
many
myths
about
safety
belts
ever
since
their
first
appearance
in
cars
some
forty
years
ago
.
The following are three of the most common.
The
following
are
three
of
the
most
common
.
Myth Number One: It's best to be "thrown clear" of a serious accident.
Myth
Number
One
:
It
's
best
to
be
``
thrown
clear
''
of
a
serious
accident
.
Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to "throw you clear" is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing.
Truth
:
Sorry
,
but
any
accident
serious
enough
to
``
throw
you
clear
''
is
also
going
to
be
serious
enough
to
give
you
a
very
bad
landing
.
And chances are that you'll have traveled through a wind shield or door to do it.
And
chances
are
that
you
'll
have
traveled
through
a
wind
shield
or
door
to
do
it
.
Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are "thrown clear".
Studies
show
that
chances
of
dying
after
a
car
accident
are
twenty-five
times
greater
in
cases
where
people
are
``
thrown
clear
''
.
Myth Number Two: Safety belts "trap" people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.
Myth
Number
Two
:
Safety
belts
``
trap
''
people
in
cars
that
are
burning
or
sinking
in
water
.
Truth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents.
Truth
:
Sorry
again
,
but
studies
show
that
people
knocked
unconscious
due
to
not
wearing
safety
belts
have
a
greater
chance
of
dying
in
these
accidents
.
People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations, not to be trapped in them.
People
wearing
safety
belts
are
usually
protected
to
the
point
of
having
a
clear
head
to
free
themselves
from
such
dangerous
situations
,
not
to
be
trapped
in
them
.
Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour.
Myth
Number
Three
:
Safety
belts
are
n't
needed
at
speeds
of
less
than
30
miles
per
hour
.
Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.
Truth
:
When
two
cars
traveling
at
30
mph
hit
each
other
,
an
unbelted
driver
would
meet
the
windshield
with
a
force
equal
to
diving
headfirst
into
the
ground
from
a
height
of
10
meters
.
Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father, "But, Dad, you can't be healthy if you're dead."  Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten to wear his safety belt--a mistake 75% of the US population make every day. The big question is why.  There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago. The following are three of the most common.  Myth Number One: It's best to be "thrown clear" of a serious accident.  Truth: Sorry, but any accident serious enough to "throw you clear" is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing. And chances are that you'll have traveled through a wind shield or door to do it. Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are "thrown clear".  Myth Number Two: Safety belts "trap" people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.  Truth: Sorry again, but studies show that people knocked unconscious due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents. People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations, not to be trapped in them.  Myth Number Three: Safety belts aren't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour.  Truth: When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other, an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.