Do seat belts really save lives? We have been told for many years now that they do. Indeed, one can hardly hear about a traffic accident without hearing whether or not the person or persons was wearing a seat belt.
But is that the case? The National Safety Council seems to thinks so. So does the Maryland Transit Administration. But what do the numbers say themselves?
According to the State of South Carolina, the number of traffic fatalities so far this year are 356 as of May 30, give or take a few days. The number of fatalities caused by not wearing a seat belt is 110. This leaves 246 people dead so far this year, with only five being pedestrians or other non-vehicle occupant. In other words, 241 people involved in automobile accidents died because of the use of seat belts.
The numbers as of June 8, 2016 are as follows:
Fatal crashes in SC: 370
Total fatalities: 397
Number of fatalities with access to (wearing) seat belts: 269
Number of fatalities where people weren't wearing seat belts: 130
According to the State of South Carolina's own numbers, you have a better chance of dying in a vehicle accident if you are wearing a seat belt than if you do not.
Source articles: http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/safety-at-home-motor-vehicle-crash.aspx, http://mta.maryland.gov/seat-belts-save-lives, http://www.scdps.gov/FatalityCount/Fatality.aspx,
But is that the case? The National Safety Council seems to thinks so. So does the Maryland Transit Administration. But what do the numbers say themselves?
According to the State of South Carolina, the number of traffic fatalities so far this year are 356 as of May 30, give or take a few days. The number of fatalities caused by not wearing a seat belt is 110. This leaves 246 people dead so far this year, with only five being pedestrians or other non-vehicle occupant. In other words, 241 people involved in automobile accidents died because of the use of seat belts.
The numbers as of June 8, 2016 are as follows:
Fatal crashes in SC: 370
Total fatalities: 397
Number of fatalities with access to (wearing) seat belts: 269
Number of fatalities where people weren't wearing seat belts: 130
According to the State of South Carolina's own numbers, you have a better chance of dying in a vehicle accident if you are wearing a seat belt than if you do not.
Source articles: http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/safety-at-home-motor-vehicle-crash.aspx, http://mta.maryland.gov/seat-belts-save-lives, http://www.scdps.gov/FatalityCount/Fatality.aspx,
