When you get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride as a passenger in a car, the last thing you expect is to be injured while on the road. However, accidents do happen, resulting in both mild and severe injuries to a person. One way to minimize damage is to wear a seat belt in the car. Though it is illegal not to, many people forget or disregard the rules, choosing to drive unsecured. However, if you’re involved in an accident, wearing a seat belt can help! You can also obtain the help of an Essex County Auto Accident Attorney to represent you in court.
Does Wearing a Seat Belt Actually Help?
Though you may think wearing a seat belt is not necessary, these safety measures are crucial to keeping yourself and your passengers protected in the event of an auto accident.
One of the most compelling reasons to wear a seat belt is that it virtually eliminates the possibility you will be ejected from your vehicle. When ejection happens, the odds of facing severe or fatal injuries are high. However, wearing a seatbelt can help prevent that from happening.
Similarly, it can reduce the likelihood of sustaining head injuries as you stay strapped to your seat. Without a seat belt, you could hit your head on various surfaces around the car, resulting in traumatic brain injuries, concussions, or fractures.
Who Should Wear Seat Belts?
Generally, anyone able to wear a seat belt should. This is important to keeping you and your passengers safe in an accident or collision. It is New Jersey law that all passengers over the age of eight are buckled in, whether they sit in the front or back seats of the vehicle.
New Jersey has strict standards when it comes to ensuring children are properly secured in vehicles. All children under the age of eight are required to be seated in the proper car seat or harness, depending on their age and weight. After a child is eight years old, they do not have to sit in a booster seat but must remain buckled in. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure all passengers under eighteen have used their seat belts.
Can Failure to Buckle Up Hurt My Case?
If you’re in an accident and do not have a seat belt on, you risk losing a fraction of your settlement. New Jersey operates under contributory negligence, which states that there are two collisions that occur during an accident where the occupant is not wearing a seat belt. The first impact is from the negligent driver, while the second are the injuries that occur due to the occupant’s failure to wear a seat belt.
This means that if you are the victim of a car crash but do not have a seat belt on, you likely will not receive the full amount of compensation you would have obtained if you were wearing one.
Ensuring you wear a seat belt is crucial to keeping yourself safe during an accident. If you’re injured at the hands of a negligent driver, The Law Offices of Christoper T. Howell, ESQ, is ready to represent you. Reach out today to discuss your case for free.
