In the United States, more people between the ages of 5 and 34 are killed in car accidents than from any other cause. In 2009 there were more than 2.3 million adult drivers and car passengers who were admitted to and treated in emergency rooms in America for injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes. The statistics should be surprising because seat belts have been determined to be the most effective way to prevent serious injuries and fatalities resulting from car crashes.
Experts estimate that deaths and injuries from car crashes could be reduced by as much as 50 percent if people wore their seat belts every time they got into a motor vehicle.
Statistics also show that adults between the age of 18 and 34 are the least likely age group to wear seat belts. This is not surprising considering the fact that the same age group has the highest rate of injuries and deaths resulting from car crashes among all age groups. Women are also 10 percent more likely to wear a seatbelt than men and seat belt use is higher in states that have a primary seat belt enforcement law than those that do not. And while air bags are an effective supplemental restraint in an car crash, they are not a sufficient substitute.
