By 2010 about 85% of all drivers were wearing seatbelts yet 1 in 7 still do not buckle up. In Ohio that number is worse as approximately 1 in 5 admit to not using a seatbelt. The estimate represents about 1.5 million licensed drivers in Ohio.
Although seatbelt use has continually increased across the United States, motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death among adults under 30 years of age. Of those killed in car crashes more than half were not restrained at the time of the crash. If you have been injured in an auto accident contact one of our Cincinnati personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation.
Surveys conducted by the State Highway Patrol show that the reasons why drivers and passengers chose not to wear their seatbelt varied from laziness to fear of being trapped after an auto accident. In a 2008 survey on seatbelt use, 25% of respondents said seatbelts were uncomfortable to use, 23% said they were too much trouble and another5% worried about being trapped in their vehicles after a crash.
In 1986 Ohio instated a secondary seatbelt law meaning that the police can ticket motorists for not wearing a seatbelt only if they have another reason to pull them over. In 2006 and 2009 legislators debated on changing it to a primary offense but those proposals fell through.
Studies show that rates of seatbelt usage are higher in states where not wearing a seatbelt is a primary offense so many local activists and law enforcement departments are pushing to persuade all motorists to buckle up.
Over Thanksgiving weekend 7 of the 14 people killed in motor vehicle accidents were not wearing seatbelts.
O’Connor, Acciani and Levy’s personal injury lawyers in Cincinnati would like to remind drivers that wearing your seatbelt can not only save your life but can also lessen the number of injuries you or a loved one may suffer.