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Mindy Anderson
English 120
9-12-01
Russell
BUCKLE YOUR BELT
People have said time and time again, “If only they had been wearing their seatbelts.” Hearing
this statement once should be enough. The fact is the first movement a driver should make when
stepping into a vehicle is to buckle his/her seatbelt. Seatbelts are there to save lives and should be
worn whenever possible. Donna Williams of The Telescope Online states, “A recent survey done by
Response Insurance Services showed that only 27 percent of people ages 25-34 wear their seatbelts”
(Williams 2000). The best decision these people could make would be to buckle their belt. They don’t
realize how very important it is to buckle up.
Williams states, “Seatbelts save over 75,000 lives over a 5-year period”(Williams 2000).
Those people that buckle their belts make a choice about seatbelts and don’t want to take the risk of
losing their lives. Mark Henderson, an Accident Investigation Unit Policeman states, “‘Generally, if
you are wearing your seatbelt and crash, it will save your life’” (qtd. in Seatbelts).
To be effective, seatbelts have to be worn in a proper and correct way. “‘Seatbelts are designed
to sit on your collar bone and across your hips. If you wear a seatbelt under your shoulder and crash,
your ribs can be broken’,” explains Henderson (qtd. in Seatbelts). It takes 15 seconds at the most to
buckle a seatbelt. Those few seconds are definitely more important than losing a life.
The most important thing parents can do for their children is to teach them the importance of
wearing their seatbelt. Young drivers, especially, have a responsibility to make sure everyone in their
car is buckled up before they shift the vehicle into drive. After all, the habit of buckling your seatbelt
is one of the best habits to have.
Seatbelts are not meant to be a hassle or inconvenience. They are not suppose to be a waste of
space or money. The truth is saving lives is what seatbelts are all about. Save a life and buckle up!
Works Cited
“Seatbelts.” Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services Community Policing Column
(1999). 11 Sept. 2001.
<http://www.nt.gov.au/pfes/services/media/columns98/980228seatbelts.htm>.
Williams, Donna. “Are you sitting on your seatbelt?” The Telescope Online (2000) . 11 Sept. 2001.
<http://www.palomar.edu/telescope/vol54/opinion/williams10-9.html>.