The New Seatbelt Law in New York State likely to save tens of thousands of lives
This week New York State passed the new seat belt law requiring passengers in the back seat of any vehicle, regardless of age, to wear a seatbelt. Some may have thought this was already a law. But there was an age limit to that law.
Now, any age, it’s mandatory seat belt requirement for all passengers in the back seat of any vehicle. Based on a 2017 study, seatbelt restraints would have likely saved an estimated 14,955 lives that year.
New York vs Other States and Seatbelt Laws
New York was actually a little behind the curve on this law as many other US States have had the backseat seatbelt law in place for some time now. Considering the devastating effects for passengers not wearing a seatbelt in the case of any car accident, serious accident or not, helps folks understand why this law is needed. As a personal injury law firm, we see far too many life altering situations due to not wearing a seatbelt.
Urban Myth About Not Wearing a Seatbelt
It’s far safer, despite urban myth, to have every passenger in the vehicle wearing a seat belt at all times. It prevents injuries, ejections, prevents you from flying into the front cabin of the vehicle. It’s always a good idea. In the event that something bad does happen, they work. Whether you have airbags or not, being in a vehicle restraint saves lives. Even a quick, unexpected stop where there isn’t necessarily a collision with another vehicle, can cause a backseat passenger to get injured. In the case of submersion concerns in water or fire concerns you have to be conscious to help yourself anyway. And seatbelt restraints give you a substantially higher probability of remaining conscious in the event of a serious car crash.
Serious Personal Injury or Death is Often Avoidable Because of Seatbelt Restraints
There are numerous examples of where serious personal injury or death was an avoidable situation if the passengers, including backseat passengers, were wearing a seatbelt. There’s no doubt as to why New York State is passing the new seat belt law for backseat passengers. According to the CDC, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in those under the age of 55. Over half of those deaths are due to passengers who are not buckled in with seatbelts at the time of the motor vehicle accident.
Stanley Law Offices is a personal injury firm working on behalf of families and individuals serious injured or worse in car crashes. If you or someone you know if a car accident victim, please reach out to us at 1-800-608-3333. We’ll be there for you in Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, Rochester, and Montrose, PA. If you can’t come to our office, we can schedule a virtual FREE consultation, or meet you at one of our office locations. Don’t go it alone. Phone. You may also schedule a FREE consultation by completing this form and one of our paralegals will phone you right away to help you determine if you have a winnable case.
