Many drivers say seat belts scare them. They worry about being trapped in a sinking car. However, a state highway safety official says such fears are unwarranted. Bill Bell, who directs the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, says a seat belt gives you better odds of survival.
“If you’re unconscious, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, whether you’re in a lake, or if your car is on fire. If you’re unconscious because you’re not wearing a seatbelt and you hit the windshield or steering wheel or what have you, you’re not gonna survive that anyway. So, it’s best to be conscious to be able to un-click that seatbelt and open the door.” --Bill Bell, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety
Kentucky drivers are making slight gains in buckling-up. The state’s overall seatbelt usage rate increased one and a half percent last year. It now stands at over eighty-percent. Bell adds the figures for kids are even better.
“Seatbelt usage for adults is approximately 85 percent throughout the state. Child seat usage is about 97 to 98 percent,” added Bell.
Some 140 law enforcement officers from 123 different agencies were honored for seatbelt enforcement today (August 5) in Louisville.