Wearing a safety belt is very important. Manystates have laws requiring their use because they save lives.

Motorvehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children and teens, but seatbelts are effective in preventing traumatic and fatal injuries. When people don'tbuckle up, though, their chances of serious injury and death greatlyincrease.

Seat belts spread the force of impact over a large portion ofthe body to include the chest and waist instead of just the forehead. Theyminimize contact with the vehicle's interior and protect passengers from beingthrown out of the car. People thrown from cars are much more likely to be killedthan if they are held in place.

Some think that in crashes involving fireor submergence, a seat belt will trap them inside the car. The truth is that seatbelts take less than a couple seconds to get off and very rarely malfunction.

Another common misconception is that if you are driving near home and notgoing fast, you don't need a safety belt. The majority of car accidents, however,happen close to home, and many happen on roads with speed limits of less than 45m.p.h. So, no matter where you are driving or how fast, you need a restrainingdevice.

Wear your seat belt. It could save your life.