Oregon Seatbelt Laws Save Lives

In the state of Oregon wearing a seatbelt is the law. While it is a good idea to obey the law, there are more important reasons for wearing your seatbelt. A seatbelt can prevent injury or even death.

• According to the CDC, nearly 50% of injuries and death could have been prevented if the victim were wearing a seat belt.
• 1 in 7 adults do not wear a seat belt on every car ride. The amount of damage and loss in both property and life from not wearing a seatbelt are staggering.

It is important to understand how seatbelts work. When you are driving in a car, your body is moving as fast as the vehicle. Unless there is something holding you down, when you stop, your body will keep on moving as if it is an independent entity from the car. That means if you are traveling at 70 mph on the highway, your body will continue to move that quickly if the car comes to a sudden stop. Seatbelts essentially make you a part of the car and keep you from continuing to travel when the car does not.

You must wear the seatbelt properly for it to work correctly. There are different ways for adults and children to wear safety belts or to use car seats.

For adults, the seat belt should come comfortably across your chest (not neck) and thighs (not stomach). For children, safety belt laws are a bit more complex. Children must ride in a rear facing car seat until they reach the age of one and weigh 20 lbs. Children from the age of one and beyond are required to wear a safety harness or make use of a booster seat until they reach 40 lbs. and 4’9” tall. The height and weight requirements were configured to be optimal for seat belt usage. It is recommended that children under the age of 13 never ride in the front seat. You can find more specifics about proper seat belt usage at http://www.seatcheck.org/.

Wear your seatbelt to help prevent injury or death. “Click It or Ticket” is not just a fun little slogan – it is a reminder that you must wear your seatbelt by law, and that your seatbelt will save your life. If you are in an accident, wearing a seatbelt may keep you alive and it will make it easier for a Portland, Oregon car accident attorney to reach a possible settlement on your case.