PLEASE WEAR A SEATBELT

[flatlander]

I was on my way to Minnesota this morning. Was headed westbound on I-94 about 25 miles outside of St. Cloud. Saw a vehicle come down the on-ramp headed eastbound doing apprx 60-65 mph. For whatever reason, she started to go off the road and into the median. The car ended up striking a small concrete drainage pipe. It started to roll. Saw the woman ejected during the first roll. She looked like a rag doll who flew about 40'. The car rolled 1 more time and came to rest in the median. I went to the car to check for others and there were none so I started retracing the path of the accident. Found the woman in 3' weeds. She had was having trouble breathing, frothy blood coming from her mouth, leg bent at several different angles and was un-responsive. Flagged down a car, they called police and w/in 5 min the police were there and the EMT's w/in 8. She had to have an airway established before she was moved for transport to the hospital for a lifeline ride.
I have no idea if she made it. She was in her late 20's to mid 30's. She was somebodies daughter or maybe even a wife or mother. Somewhere there is a family that is in turmoil. If she had been wearing a seatbelt she may have been hurt but she would not have been ejected.
If you choose to NOT wear a seatbelt, that is your choice. Remember what would happen to your family if that choice killed you. Remember what it would do to you if that was your wife, sister or your daughter. I lost a daughter to a vehicle accident years ago. A seatbelt did not save her. I only pray you never have to go through the pain.
Please wear a seatbelt.

Bob

 

[gunman41mag]

That was a terrible thing to see

 

[shibumiseeker]

About 6 months after my exwife left me she was in a rollover accident where she was not wearing her seatbelt. She was partially ejected and broke her pelvis (among other things). Not that I wished her ill, but I was glad that it happened after she chose to get divorced so I wasn't stuck with her medical bills as she didn't have health insurance.

I dont think the government and insurance companies should be forcing their use, but I for one always wear it because I've seen firsthand working as an EMT that the benefits far outweigh the risks.

 

[IndyGunworks]

see it all the time, you would be surprised how many dont wear them and end up severely injured in even minor accidents.

 

[Benny]

My car doesn't leave "park" until everyone in the car has their belt on, but 5 of my closest friends were in an accident when I was out of town and the 4 guys that were ejected are still alive...The only person wearing his seat belt wasn't so lucky.

Yeah, I know that it was a fluke, but I still have to tell the story when someone brings this up.

R.I.P Matt. You are still sorely missed.

 

[mrjarrell]

Modern cars are built to keep you alive in a collision, as long as you stay inside them. No-one in mine ever goes anywhere without a belt on. It's the smart thing to do. Hope that girl survives her injuries.

 

[Pami]

Thank you for having the presence of mind to stop and check for other passengers, look for the driver, and flag down help. Seems like so many people pass things like that by thinking help will be on the way soon. If she does make it, you could very well be the reason why (getting help there so quickly).

 

[Benny]

Thank you for having the presence of mind to stop and check for other passengers, look for the driver, and flag down help. Seems like so many people pass things like that by thinking help will be on the way soon. If she does make it, you could very well be the reason why (getting help there so quickly).

+1. I don't think there is any doubt that if she makes it, he will be the reason why. She could have laid there for a long time drowning in her own blood.

 

[indytechnerd]

I wear a seat belt because it's safe, and so does my family. I am bothered a bit that it's the law (said in Judge Dredd voice) because I don't think you can legislate the stupidity out of people.

+1 and some rep for stopping. Most folks just rubber neck on by.

 

[lrahm]

Obviously there are going to be wrecks that will happen that people will not survive even if they are wearing seatbelts. The wrecks are just too violent. The popular SUV and jeep type vehicles are subject to roll over because of the high center of gravity. Wearing a seatbelt in these vehicles are a must. While they are not popular, seatbelts do save lives. Being blunt, I would much rather have some burns to my skin and face from the seatbelt and airbag than being face down on the side of the road.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Ugh, what an awful thing to witness.

Seatbelts are key, as are helmets. There are still too
Many deaths from not wearing them when the person would be fine otherwise.

Good site showing the physics of seat belts. It slows you down as the car crumples rather than instantly which greatly decreases the forces involved.

Seatbelt Physics

 

[manygunsmike]

WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!! Heres my story I witnessed a person being ejected on Indianapolis Blvd ramp off of 80/94 , A little Honda Civic and another little foreign car were going at a high rate of speed east on 80/94 and as they both passed me one on each side the one car on my right hand side tried to slow down and exit to go to Indianapolis Blvd north on the same exit I was trying to get off The car didnt make the turn and rolled off the ramp on to its driver side and flip and roll down the hill into the grass area ejecting the driver out what looked like to me was his open moonroof. I quickly stopped and as the dust settled I couldnt find where he ended up, but when I looked he ended up over the grass area and landed on the entrance ramp going east off Indianapolis blvd ! I couldnt believe he landed that far away from his car ! It was about 5am and the only light was the street light over the east bound ramp but as I got closer to him I noticed that when he landed he landed on his head because there was a splat of blood around his head on the shoulder of the ramp. I didnt have a cell phone on me at the time and there was no one around so I tried to flag a passing truck up on 80/94 but none stopped . I didnt know what to do but on my way back down to check on the guy I found a cell phone ringing laying in the grass next to where I was standing , I quickly answered and got a woman looking for someone but I didnt let her finish I told her I was going to call 911 because I had the guys phone and he was in a bad accident and I needed to get help . I got 911 on the phone and told them where we were and how to get to where the guy was on the road. The Police and rescue team got there in a few minutes and said that if it had been a few more minutes they might not have been able to save him because he had a fractured skull a partialy blocked airway and possibly a broken neck. I couldnt believe I witnessed anything like this and I still cant believe I found his cell phone in the grass . I got called back on his phone right after the rescue took him away and I told the woman what I had witnessed and said I would give the phone over to the Hammond PD who was still there doing some investigating. Before I left I gave my info to the PD and got a call from a dective a few days later asking about what I had witnessed and after we talked the guy told me thet the driver was alive but still not conscious . I dont know what ever happened to the driver but after seeing something like that I feel more confortable wearing my seatbelt .

manygunsmike

 

[spec4]

In 1965 I fell asleep while driving and rammed a light pole, going through the windshield. Fortunately a deputy came by and saved me. My face looked like a broken vase put back together. Plastic surgery and time has helped, but the scars remain. Since then I have never driven without seatbelts on. While I don't believe it should be the law, I am amazed when I still see people not buckling up.

 

[MrsXtremeVel]

My dad is a retired fireman after 31 years. He has seen many wrecks. He ingrained in my brother and I the importance of seatbelts. Even before it was the law. His worse experience was finding a 2 year old who was thrown from a car. He said after all these years he still remembers it like yesterday. Most accidents occur with 3 miles of your residence. Don't let a " quick trip" turn into a " last trip." Buckling up is automatic for our family all the time.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Most accidents occur with 3 miles of your residence .

That's why I moved...

In all seriousness: I also echo the main sentiment of this thread. Seatbelt use works the overwhelming majority of the time; which is why I, and everyone in my car, wears one.

And I, too, don't think that it should be legislated...under pressure from the insurance lobby.

To go further, I almost wish that insurance companies wouldn't pay injury-related portions of claims if seatbelts weren't worn. Of course, that would lead to possibly thousands of more medical-bill-related bankruptcies. Everyone else would then wind up paying for those folks one way or another.

-J-

 

[T-Mann]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8PBx7isoM[/ame]

 

[flatlander]

The woman died. 30 years old, married mother of 2.
Prayers for her family.

Bob