Seat Belts Can Kill

It was a 49-year-old man, seemingly healthy without any underlying disease, who instantly died in an accident due to wearing a seat belt. The individual suffered deadly compressions found around the neck. After medical reviews, multiple bruises were found visible on the left side of this man’s neck, where the seat belt would have been placed while driving. In addition to this injury, there was even more damage found on the torso of the deceased, where abrasions and lacerations started from the upper left shoulder region and traveled diagonally to the front, right side of this individual’s body. In addition to these injuries, hematomas or pools of clotted blood, were also found around the muscles of the left side of the throat and larynx of this victim. The cause of death in this incident was the “compression of neck critical elements such as carotid sinus by a three-point safety belt.” The seat belt worn by the driver was determined to be a vital factor in causing the above injuries to the deceased. Therefore and consequently, a seat belt can indeed be a dangerous piece of equipment used by a driver in an automobile and it can even threaten one’s human life. Eliminating the seat belt, causing a more aware, alert driver, could have avoided this accident and ultimately saved a life. On the other hand, if we keep wearing a seat belt, we will continue to rely too heavily on it, and never improve our ability to be fully alert on the road. 

Such seat belt injuries can occur in many ways and the most common are abrasions, bruises, and cuts. The tremendous force of the seat belt could be so incredibly strong, that it could even cause more severe injuries to the one wearing it. So, eliminating the seat belt could avoid this trauma altogether. Also, fractures on the internal body structure of the vertebrae, soft tissue injury, small bowel perforation, and even the rupture of internal organs, are possible results of safety belt trauma. Some accident-related injuries, while wearing a seat belt, are commonly called “seatbelt syndrome.” This is one of the most severe types of seat belt injury, and it only occurs when the seat belt restricts the body of the one wearing the belt, during a collision, causing damage to any of the internal organs. The fibers in a seat belt can also cause harm to the chest and abdominal areas. Even though the seat belt is carefully designed to restrain the upper body of the driver and help to prevent injury in the event of an accident, the force of that very same seat belt could actually injure the chest area of the individual. In addition to this area, the most common internal organs that could potentially be affected by wearing a seat belt could be the spleen, liver, and bowel. A seat belt could, in a vehicular accident, tear the colon or diaphragm and in some cases could even harm the lumbar vertebrae and could even fracture or dislocate such vertebrae. This type of seat belt injury, a spinal cord injury, could occur when the force of the seat belt actually causes the spine to compress or even fracture. Subsequently, these injuries could cause paralysis or even death. The severity of wearing a seat belt here could actually be deadly. In addition, seat belt injuries could affect the rib cage also in the chest area. The force of the seat belt here could cause rib fractures or damage to the chest wall of the individual wearing the seat belt in the vehicle during a crash or accident. Such injuries could be extremely painful and even result in one experiencing breathing difficulties. Seat belts are supposed to be designed to protect passengers, however, in some situations and in some accidents, these devices can significantly harm, or even cause the death of a motor vehicle driver. In addition, a seat belt that is supposed to restrain a driver in a vehicle, in the case of a severe accident, could also apply such force to the driver that it could cause whiplash, neck sprains, or other neck injuries. Additional injuries from wearing a seat belt could be shoulder injuries due to the force of the seat belt across the shoulder, causing injury to the shoulder or even dislocation of a shoulder. The force of the seat belt could even cause facial injury, such as bruising or even fractures in one’s face. Also, some seat belt injuries could even cause burns on the driver, especially if the seat belt is made of material that is easily flammable in the event of a fire. Again, wearing a seat belt in an automobile, being the driver or a passenger, could be quite harmful. Instead, eliminate the culprit and empower the driver to have the presence, confidence, and diligence to operate the vehicle safely and cautiously. 

Equally important, since the nature and location of impact in a motor vehicle cannot always be forecasted in any given accident, the seat belt could actually prevent the passenger from escaping harm. For instance, if an impact is on the driver’s side of the vehicle, the seat belt could actually prevent the driver from being able to move to the passenger side of the vehicle, causing the driver to be harmed since the body of the driver will be locked into position on the driver side. In the same way, knowing the fact that a seat belt could indeed cause injury to a driver or passenger in a motor vehicle during an unforeseen accident or even an accident waiting to happen, it would be safer if a vehicle would have this piece of equipment removed. Why take the chance of putting on a seat belt willingly, when knowingly it could potentially severely harm you? Taking control in one’s vehicle, understanding the machine you are in, controlling the vehicle, understanding your environment, and being confident and conscious in your surroundings, are all factors that contribute to the safety on any road or highway. “Seat belt use tends to increase risk-taking in drivers. This could lead to an increase in more severe accidents, which, in turn, reduces or mitigates the effectiveness of seat belts.” Therefore, safety in a vehicle is primarily determined by the state of mind by its drivers, not by the type of equipment used in the motor vehicle. The mental state and assurance of the operator of the vehicle is essential in safety precautions. Considering a driver of a motorcycle, the motorcyclist does not have any equipment of vehicle safety. There are no seat belts, padding, doors, windows, steel, or any installed air bags. However, notice how cautious, careful the motorcyclist must be, how precise and exact and careful they are while utilizing proper hand signals while operating the motorcycle. In addition, how defensive the driver of the motorcycle must be in their driving techniques while operating a motorcycle. In the same way, the driver of an automobile should be expected to respect the road, without a seat belt, in order to save these lives from deadly seat belt injuries. 

In summary, eliminating seat belts from automobiles would reduce the number of auto accidents since drivers would become more cautious behind the wheel. Putting the operator of a motor vehicle in the state of mind that they are in control, alert, and aware since no device will be accessible, will promote a safer, more determined driver, and in turn, save lives.

References

“An Immediate Death by Seat Belt Compression; a Forensic Medicine Report – PMC.” National Library of Medicine. 2015. 6 March 2023.

“Limitations vs Benefits – Car Safety- Physics.” Weebly. 2023. 6 March 2023.