When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, your first priority may be to find the right station on the radio. After all, you want your commute to be comfortable, right? As part of that comfort, you may forgo wearing a seat belt because you feel too restricted or that seat belts are uncomfortable, especially during long drives.
If you do not buckle up every time you get in a vehicle, you are not only breaking Nebraska law, but you are also putting yourself in considerable danger. Seat belts are in place as necessary safety features in vehicles. If you choose not to utilize this feature, you may significantly regret that choice later.
Benefits of a seat belt
You should not need convincing to wear your seat belt, but in case you do, consider the following benefits of seat belt use:
- Avoid tickets: If you buckle up every time you drive, you will avoid getting ticketed by police officers for that violation. Avoiding tickets may also help keep your insurance rates low.
- Increase airbag effectiveness: You may think you do not need a seat belt because your airbags will protect you in the event of a crash. However, airbags are designed to work with seat belts, and if you do not wear yours, airbags may not protect you either.
- Ejection prevention: Feeling restricted in a seat belt is part of the point. The belt keeps you restrained so that you do not get ejected from the vehicle in the event of a crash.
- Injury reduction: Overall, seat belts reduce your risk of suffering serious injuries in an accident. They can even save your life and the lives of your passengers.
Whatever reason you give yourself for not wearing a seat belt is not worth your life. Making sure that you fasten your seat belt and that your passengers do too could save lives.
Impacts on compensation
Additionally, if you are involved in a serious car accident caused by another driver, you may want to pursue compensation for your injuries and other damages. However, if you did not have your seat belt on at the time of the crash, that detail could greatly reduce the amount of compensation you could receive. You could even miss out on an insurance payout entirely. Therefore, you may want to reconsider your excuses and buckle up.