Seat Belt Safety

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Paschal student buckles up.

Emma Henry, Copy Editor

You’re driving down the road with your friends, blasting music, having a good time like all teenagers do every once in a while, until suddenly you’re not. Maybe it’s because of another car, maybe it’s because of someone not looking while crossing the street, or maybe it’s something like a building or tree. Regardless, you’ve hit something, and now you’ve been in a car accident.

According to Aceable, an online drivers education course, over 300,000 people were injured in car accidents involving teen drivers in 2013. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in accidents similar to those. Obviously, no one wants to be involved in a car accident, but unfortunately teen drivers have an especially high risk. With the odds stacked against us, it may seem like there is no way to avoid becoming a part of the statistics, but there are ways to better protect yourself and others around you in case of an accident.

Arguably one of the most important things you can do, and maybe the most obvious, is to wear a seat belt. This may seem like a simple and unimportant thing to do, but it could save your life. “For adults and older children, seat belt use is one of the most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes,” The CDC states on their website.

Everyone has a day when they don’t wear a seat belt because, “Oh, it’s only two blocks, nothing can happen,” or “I’ll just be really careful driving because I’m in a hurry and don’t have time to put my seatbelt on,” but a seat belt can really make the difference between life and death. Taking three seconds to put on a seat belt won’t be the difference between being on time somewhere versus being late, and it definitely won’t make you any cooler.

One other important thing to remember is to only have as many passengers as seat belts in a car. The law in Texas states that drivers under the age of 18 are only allowed one non-family member under 21 in the car with them, but we all know that that law is broken all the time by teens. Wearing one seat belt per person (no double sitting!) per seat is the easiest way to insure that you’ll be safe in the event of a car crash, because, let’s be honest, a few seat belt marks are a lot better than the other things that could happen.

Driving is fun but can be dangerous, and teens should take all possible precautions to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them. Remember, wear your seat belts, have fun, and stay safe!! unshaven girls займ на карту без проверки кредитной историичастный займ срочнобыстрый займ безработным