Important seat belt statistics that drivers and passengers need to be aware of.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use of any age group.  This is immensely troubling as seat belt use is one of the best ways to save lives and minimize the injuries sustained in an auto accident.  As a parent, you should encourage your teen to wear their seat belt, whether they are behind the wheel or riding along as a passenger.  To convince you further, here are some of the sobering seat belt statistics that you should know.

• Of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2017, 47% were not wearing seat belts.
• Someone who is not wearing a seat belt is 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash than a passenger who is wearing a seatbelt.
• More than three out of four people who are ejected from a vehicle during an accident die from their injuries.
• Teens report that they are twice as likely to wear a seatbelt as a driver or passenger when their parents set seatbelt rules and monitor their driving.
• When used properly, seatbelts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers by 45%.
• Proper seatbelt use can reduce your risk of moderate to critical injury by 50%.
• In 2017, passenger seat belt use saved an estimated 14,955 lives. Approximately 2,549 additional lives could have been saved in 2017 with appropriate seat belt use.
• The seat belt national use rate increased to 89.6% in 2018.

These are some of the important things that you should know about seat belt use.  In addition to seat belt education and monitoring, there are other ways to keep yourself and your teen safe while driving.  For instance, having the right auto insurance protections are of great importance.  For assistance with all your car coverage needs, contact the experts at Weeks & Associates Insurance Services in Thousand Oaks, California today.