Subject: RE: goin to CA soon, to be a CC tychoon

From: chris <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Jun 12 11:09:00 2003

>P.S. The few accidents I have been in (none of which involved another 
>vehicle if I was at fault - I always steer for the ditch in times of 
>trouble) I *never* wore the belt, and I *always* walked away from them.

And you are LUCKY!

I can say this, not from some "study" that was done, but from hands on 
experience. In the last 13 years, I have operated roughly 6 major motor 
vehicle accidents a year, so figure roughly 78 major car accidents. 
Extricated an average of 3 people per accident, so I've cut roughly 230 
people out of cars.

So out of 230 people... exactly TWO have sustained fewer injuries as a 
direct result of not wearing a seat belt. I know both incidents well as 
for both of them, we looked and said, "WOW, lucky they didn't wear their 
seatbelt today or this could have been much worse".

I can't tell you how many I have looked at and said "if only they had 
their seatbelt on, they would probably be walking away right now".

And I haven't seen an accident yet that the person sustained greater 
injuries due to the seatbelt (this is a tough thing to judge, so I am 
basing it off the types of injuries they sustained and where the car was 
damaged and where they may have been thrown had they not worn their 
seatbelt). 

Much of the "myth" that seatbelts cause greater injuries are based on 
facts BEFORE shoulder straps were in use. Lap belts only can cause 
greater injuries, but that is why they moved to shoulder straps as well 
(and airbags are a wonderful creation for the occupants... horrible for 
EMS workers if they don't deploy on impact... they have a frightening 
tendency to fail)

So if you want to continue to gamble on that 0.8% chance that you will 
walk away because of not wearing a belt, go right ahead. Me... I buckle 
up every time I am in a car, regardless of what seat I am in (and I won't 
move a car I am driving until the front passenger is buckled in... I do 
leave rear seats up to the riders).

Oh, but I do have to agree with you... if you fail to wear a belt, it is 
you that gets hurt, no one else. I have not seen ONE accident where 
someone that failed to wear a belt caused a greater injury on anyone but 
themselves. (However, I can give you stories of load shift that have 
caused greater injuries... in my opinion, it is more dangerous to have 
unsecured objects in the car than unsecured passengers).

-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu Jun 12 21:21:00 2003

> >trouble) I *never* wore the belt, and I *always* walked away from them.

Snip!

Hmm,

In local newspapers I read daily, noted daily police, accident etc 
reports.  Most of time nearly every one died or severely hurt or 
maimed didn't wear seatbelts.  They always note what isn't in 
compliant with rules/laws.

Pays to be on defensive driving.  Practise on closed tracks or 
parking lots (like slick surfaces in winter to get the "feel" 
and experience of what car reacts, I did and intend to do more 
of this 'fun'. These idiots didn't have good experience & 
inattentive, that for sure from what I see and by experience and 
being taught about it while I was in driving sessions.  Even I wasn't 
driving, I watched others too.  Inattentive or overconfident drivers 
or careless bystanders will get somebody eventually.

Oh yeah, saw bunch of drivers running reds at " T" intersection 
near where I work, stem was low volume on busy 4 lane w/ waiting lane 
of connecting main road appox 4km long that ties two north and 
south (both runs E-W) main roads together &  goes past one of main 
road to the highway 401.  Our small shop is nearest 
south mainroad next to that said intersection.  That road is lined 
with big boxes and small stores, one major indoor mall and other one 
open-air mall.

Cheers & drive w/ cellphone turned off please.  Note, time of year is 
awful with all that on-going multiple road constructions.

Wizard