Have you ever gotten into the backseat of a car and not buckled up? You’re not alone. About 1 in 20 Georgia residents don’t buckle up either when they’re driving or riding in the back seat. It may seem harmless at first, but there are some excellent reasons why you should always wear a seatbelt.

Seatbelts Save Lives

Buckling your seatbelt takes less than 5 seconds and dramatically reduces your chances of being seriously injured in a car crash. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that of all Americans killed in car crashes, about 47% were not wearing seatbelts. There is simply no excuse for not wearing your seatbelt, whether you’re in the front or back.

Not only do seatbelts save lives, but they create good habits. According to the NHTSA, teenage drivers whose parents always used their seatbelt were more likely to buckle up themselves. Given that nearly 300,000 teens are involved in serious crashes each year, building this habit early on makes your child significantly more likely to get home safe.

Click-It or Ticket?

Under Georgia’s current laws, adults are not required to wear seat belts in the back seat. However, there have been pushes to see that changed. In late 2019 and early 2020, Georgia lawmakers pursued changes to the state’s seatbelt law that would require all passengers in four-wheeled vehicles to wear seatbelts.

Although these proposals were rejected, for the time being, it may only be a matter of time before the new law passes, and everyone is required to wear a seatbelt or face a ticket.

If you suffered injuries in a car accident, we are here for you. If you’d like to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney from Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, please don’t hesitate to call (888) 425-6070 or send us an email.