A “Vehicle Occupant Restraint Day” was organized on March 31 by California Highway Patrol officers to focus attention on people who do not buckle their seat belts while driving.

The seat belt continues to be the easiest and most effective way to prevent wrongful death car accidents.  Wearing your seatbelt cuts the chance of you dying in a car accident substantially as opposed to not wearing one.  Your worst injuries from any car accident will likely be whiplash.

“More than 30 percent of all vehicle passengers killed statewide in 2007 and 2008 were not buckled up at the time of the collision,” said the CHP Commissioner. According to the Office of Traffic Safety, seat belt usage by California motorists is at a record high of almost 96 percent.

In 2008, the California Highway Patrol issued over 200,000 citations to drivers and passengers who failed to buckled up.  That number does not include the more than 17,000 tickets issued for child safety seat violations.

Our car accident lawyers report cases of accidents when a seat belt is not utilized.  We support the California Highway Patrol with events like this, and we look forward to hearing about other events like this that promote driver safety and prevent car accidents that lead to serious injury such as paralysis or wrongful death.

Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585.  Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review.  No fee if no recovery.