JENKINTOWN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

Wearing your seat belt can literally mean the difference between life and death when you’re involved in a Pennsylvania car accident. We’ve all been told to wear our seat belt, but the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has now released a 2011 Crash Facts and Statistics report that backs up all the talk with cold hard facts.

• In 2011, 77.5 percent of all people involved in crashes were wearing seat belts. The majority—56.9 percent—of all people who died in crashes were not wearing seat belts.
• PennDOT estimated what the impact would have been in 2011 if 100 percent of people wore seat belts. They came to the conclusion that 286 more people would have survived, 471 major injuries would have been prevented, 992 moderate injuries would have been prevented and 1,467 minor injuries would have been prevented. About 3,216 more people would have walked away from a crash scene with no injuries at all.
• If 100 percent of people in crashes had worn seat belts, PennDOT estimates that the economic savings would have been $2,489,942,471. That is $195 for every man, woman, and child in Pennsylvania.
• The combination of lap/shoulder seat belts, when used, reduces the risk of fatal injuries to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and risk of moderate-to-critical injuries by 50 percent.
• Three out of four crashes occur within 25 miles of home.
• Children are likely to be buckled up 92 percent of the time when adults are buckled, but only 72 percent of the time when adults are not buckled.

You’re required by Pennsylvania law to wear a seat belt while riding in a motor vehicle, but many people still choose not to obey this rule. If you were hurt in a motor vehicle accident, contact the attorneys at Mednick, Mezyk, & Kredo for a free consultation at 215-545-1870.