One piece of fabric that can save your life!

April 21st, 2015

When I grew up, seatbelt laws were just starting to be enforced for the driver and companion seat.  But I would argue that there is just as much danger in the backseat without a seatbelt.  Having practiced medicine in New York City for over 10 years, I have seen many accidents involving taxicabs where the people in the back seat are thrown into the partition or TV monitor behind the front seats, usually when the driver brakes suddenly.  Frequently, these result in lacerations (cuts) to the face that often are quite bloody, require many stitches, and can be disfiguring.  I have also seen cars hit from the side where the rear seat passengers sustain head injuries from hitting the side window.  If all passengers wore seatbelts there would be much lower risk of serious injury.

I’m always amazed when I see everyone on an airplane buckle up, yet the percentage of people who use seatbelts in the back seat of cars is much less.  In fact, your risk of being injured in a car accident on the way to the airport is much higher than during the flight!  While there are not uniform laws enforcing seatbelt use for back seat passengers in the US, you should still take the necessary extra precautions to protect yourself and your family.  Make it a habit for yourself and teach your kids that safety is always important.  As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”