View Poll Results: I wear my seat belt:
All the time. I buckle up EVERY time I drive.
89
64.96%
Most of the time. More often than not I buckle up.
33
24.09%
Occasionally. I usually don't strap in, but will on occasion.
8
5.84%
Never. Seat Belt? I don't need no stinkin' seat belt!
7
5.11%
Voters: 137. You may not vote on this poll
Seat belt usage
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Wausau.WI
I put mine on all the time, it's a habbit and back when I was working at a body shop with the county impound yard out back I saw things you don't want to see. The one that sticks in my mind is the car that roled, landed on the driver pining her and burning her to deth. It left an outline of her arm on the roof. I feal bad for the first responders to that one.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
From: Northern PA
Originally Posted by Arrow201
Although I do question that amount of protection the lap belts in my 1976 provide, I really should convert to the shoulder system.
Any input about lap belts and there safety abilities would be great. They switched to the shoulder system in 1977 or 1978 in the F-100's in Canada. I belevie that they may have been an option before 1977/78, correct me if I am wrong.
Any input about lap belts and there safety abilities would be great. They switched to the shoulder system in 1977 or 1978 in the F-100's in Canada. I belevie that they may have been an option before 1977/78, correct me if I am wrong.
I'm sure there may be suits against the other car makers as well, but that one popped up in my search.
The use of lap belts only has resulted in serious spinal and internal injuries.
Seat belts saved me from serious injury once, and I'm convinced my daughter and a couple of friends would be crippled, if not dead, if they hadn't been wearing shoulder belts when they slid off a gravel road and hit a tree head on. Thank goodness she was in a car with rear shoulder belts.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 739
Likes: 11
From: Westfield, North Carolina
I wear mine most of the time, but some of my vehicles didnt come factory equipped so thats the times i dont wear them. In NC any vehicle older than 65' your not required to wear one.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 657
Likes: 0
From: brimfield township,OH
I srarted wearing mine when the law went into effect.With all the advancements in automotive technology, you would think they could make them more comfortable. I don't like them tightening up on every bump and cutting into my neck. I really hate when I get pulled over in my 68 camaro just so they can see if I have it on.I've thought about painting a shoulder belt on my chest.Does anybody know if they can cite someone driving a really old car that doesn't have belts?
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 21,113
Likes: 3,939
From: Ohio
I wonder when the auto industry will wake up to using the five point instead of shoulder, the five point works well in my weekend driver and I have converted some of my other vehicles.....yeah it takes a few times to get used to them, but I love it better than the shoulder belt.
Former Vendor
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,362
Likes: 3
From: Hendersonville, NC
I honestly couldn't care less what the seat belt laws say, IMO it is none of thier business, but...
I wear mine all the time. The way I drive, I know its only a matter of time before I need it
Max, I think you are right. The 5 points are less restrictive, more protective, and IMO more comfortable.
I wear mine all the time. The way I drive, I know its only a matter of time before I need it
Max, I think you are right. The 5 points are less restrictive, more protective, and IMO more comfortable.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
From: Canyon Lake, Tx. 78133
I never start the vehicle w/o everyone wearing their seat belts. They have saved my family more than once. Besides that, it is the "law" in Texas and it just makes good sense, to me.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
Originally Posted by fordthug
I believe that you can't get pulled over for no seat belt but you can get a ticket if you get pulled over for something else. I may be wrong or that may just be in Kansas.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
Originally Posted by jroehl
Basically, they'll have several cops standing in or by the side of the road looking for whether you've got your seat belt on. If you don't, they'll wave you over and write you a $25 ticket.
It's $102 here. I'm so glad my tax money is going to such good uses as pulling people over for seat belt offences. Then I have to hear constantly about how underfunded they are. I love cops, the ones that keep theifs, murderers and rapists off the streets. I just wish they would leave me alone. Just amazes me.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,542
Likes: 22
From: Murphysboro, IL
After a bad wreck where I was lucky enough to not have gone through teh windshield I started wearing it more often. 4 years later when I had gotten out of the habit I got in another "could have been bad wreck" but due to luck, a quick prayer and a defensive move that I have no idea how I did it, the guy survived and the truck wasn't too badly injured. Anyway i didn't have it on then either, now it's on 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time I am in a field or somehwere like that where I don't need it and it is way too much of a hassle when getting out of the truck all the time to open gates or whatever.
Super Moderator
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,491
Likes: 2,805
Most injuries due to lap only belts are because the belt was worn too high.
I was sold on belts after Car & Driver published a sequence of photos take by a guy with a motorized 35mm at a NASCAR race. A '66 Galaxie broke a motor mount and went out of control. Over and over, end over end you name it this thing was flipping and flying with parts going everywhere. Last frame? Driver walking away.
Like a motorcycle helmet, fire suit whatever: Always were 'em. Try not to use 'em.
I was sold on belts after Car & Driver published a sequence of photos take by a guy with a motorized 35mm at a NASCAR race. A '66 Galaxie broke a motor mount and went out of control. Over and over, end over end you name it this thing was flipping and flying with parts going everywhere. Last frame? Driver walking away.
Like a motorcycle helmet, fire suit whatever: Always were 'em. Try not to use 'em.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,140
Likes: 4
From: Oak Harbor, OH
I have found that in most cars equipped with lap belts, it is impossible to get it in the correct position, so I will not wear a lap belt. Shoulder belts, all the time. The newer cars have adjustable heights, which makes it more comfortable to wear.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 279
Likes: 1
I wear My lap/shoulder belts ALL the time. Was in a head-on collision couple of years back and even with both belts on i sufferd massive internal bleeding...i cringe to think what might have happened if I wasn't wearing the shoulder belt aswell. By the way. The other guy involved in the accident wasn't wearin a seat-belt. His airbag kept him from flying out of the windshield but, it also forced his body to crunch up underneath it. As a result he has a permanent limp, even after several surgeries...I only had one surgery so far...
Last edited by Fordtastic; Nov 24, 2004 at 12:26 AM.