{"id":3656,"date":"2015-12-30T14:25:19","date_gmt":"2015-12-30T22:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/?p=3656"},"modified":"2015-12-30T14:25:19","modified_gmt":"2015-12-30T22:25:19","slug":"are-seatbelts-really-that-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/are-seatbelts-really-that-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Seatbelts Really That Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve taken your driver\u2019s test, you have your first auto insurance coverage policy, and you\u2019re ready to set out into the world, right? It can be exciting finally getting behind the wheel for the first time, and that newfound freedom can open up a lot of great opportunities if used wisely, but it\u2019s important to keep safety in mind. Many people find seatbelts uncomfortable, and some find them restrictive, so it\u2019s not uncommon to hear a young driver ask, \u201cAre seatbelts really that important?\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, we\u2019re going to answer that question, and since you probably already know the answer, we\u2019re going to make it worth your while by explaining exactly why you should wear a seatbelt every time you get behind the wheel. First, let\u2019s start with the basics:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the Law<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"iStock_000068047535_Small\"<\/a><\/p>\n

You probably know that the driver of a vehicle has to buckle up, but you may not know that the driver is also responsible for making sure everyone else in the vehicle is properly secured. All shoulder and lap belts need to be in working order, and everyone needs to be in a seat with a seatbelt, booster seat, or other federally-approved system. If you have any passengers under 16 and they aren\u2019t wearing their seatbelt, you could face a citation.<\/p>\n

So why is the law so strict about this? Probably because seatbelts work. Even with a lap belt alone, your odds of surviving a collision double. Add the shoulder strap and your chances are three to four times higher than if you hadn\u2019t been wearing the seatbelt at all. If your vehicle is missing any of the safety features we\u2019ve mentioned so far, check with your dealership or local mechanic \u2013 your vehicle can probably be outfitted with the legally required safety equipment.<\/p>\n

Unhappy with your legally-required liability insurance? Cost-U-Less<\/a> can save you money \u2013 just call or stop by today.<\/p>\n

Myths Busted<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"iStock_000077062877_Small\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Still not convinced? Many drivers who don\u2019t believe in the power of the seatbelt have probably been fooled by one of many popular myths surrounding their effectiveness. Some drivers insist that seatbelts can actually increase a driver\u2019s risk of death by trapping them inside the vehicle, but this has no basis in reality. Testing shows that most seatbelts can be taken off in less than a second, and while in place, the seatbelt serves a more important purpose: keeping you in control of the vehicle. Your chances are better with a seatbelt on \u2013 full stop.<\/p>\n

Hoping you\u2019ll just be thrown clear of the collision? It\u2019s very unlikely that that will work out for you \u2013 your chances of surviving are five times higher if you stay in your seat. Getting \u201cthrown clear\u201d of a collision is likely worse than the collision itself. Think you don\u2019t need your seatbelt for a quick trip around the block? Statistically, that\u2019s when you\u2019re most likely to be killed in a collision. Research shows that over 50% of traffic fatalities happen within 25 miles of the driver\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

Worried about worst-case scenarios? With Cost-U-Less full coverage insurance<\/a>, you don\u2019t need to worry. Find out how much you could be saving today by giving us a call, visiting us online, or stopping by our offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019ve taken your driver\u2019s test, you have your first auto insurance coverage policy, and you\u2019re ready to set out into the world, right? It can be exciting finally getting behind the wheel for the first time, and that newfound freedom can open up a lot of great opportunities if used wisely, but it\u2019s important […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3659,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[697,712],"tags":[119,545],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3656"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3656"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3656\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}