Do You Wear Your Seat Belt?

I wrote the following article around 1986 in response to queries about why I always wore my seat belt. It was initially published in the newsletter of the company for which I worked. Seatbelt usage at that particular period in time was not very popular; consequently a large percentage of the motoring public did not use them. I am a firm believer in seatbelts and installed lap belts in some of my earlier cars before they became standard factory issue; also before airbags were available. There is serious question as to whether, as a result of a high speed crash,  I would be alive today if I had not been wearing a seat belt.

The article was picked up and published by a local newspaper in the San Diego area and whether it was a direct effect, several persons with whom I was acquainted, began wearing their seatbelts, including the company president. Read the article in its entirety and see if the reasoning is persuasive -- remember, it is your life!   ~~ Ernest

WHAT-- ME WEAR A SEAT BELT! NEVER!!

Use your imagination and picture the following scenario . . . you and I are being paid by a movie studio to stage a crash scene involving two automobiles at a typical busy intersection. The crash will be filmed. You are riding with me and we are going to impact directly at 50 MPH into the side of a car that is coming through the intersection. To translate this to a real situation, imagine that the other car is anticipating the green light, "jumping the gun" and running a red light while we have speeded up to try to get through the intersection on a "yellow turning red" light. Happens all of the time . . . doesn't it?

The film crew is ready; the car that we are going to hit is waiting for the signal to start into the intersection. You and I are sitting about 1/4 mile from the intersection ready to gun it to build up to the 50 MPH necessary for impact. Engines are running and everyone is waiting for us to signal that we are ready for action. I look at you and ask, "Ready to go...?"

Now it's decision time . . . the car that we are in is equipped with a double set of seat belts with a full shoulder harness for each person (similar to what airplane stunt pilots wear) and a switch that you can throw to "arm" your air bag deployment. There is also a crash helmet that you can wear if you elect to. You look over at me and I have everything buckled, helmeted, belted, and armed that I can possibly do. What are you going to do? NOTE: Jumping out is not an option!

Probably without exception, most of you would say, "Are you crazy? I would put on all of those things and arm the air bag deployment." Is that your answer? If so then consider this . . . what is the difference between this staged crash and a crash that could happen any time except that the one is planned and the other is not.

Think about it . . . seat belts anyone?

. . . Ernest C. Powell, Sr. (1933 - ??)

 
 

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This Page Updated:February 05, 2005

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