I'm just curious to see why yall wear seatbelts. I believe "its your safety, if you don't want to buckle up, then you shouldn't have to." I know they claim that seatbelts save more lives than compared to not wearing a seatbelt, but most of the wrecks on the roads are not in trucks of our size. With the size of our trucks, you have to get into a pretty serious accident to cause some real damange to the CTD passengers. I know from experience. Two summers ago I got into an accident ( I T-boned a mustang that ran a stop sign) at 35 mph and it totaled both of our vehicles. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt and I barely moved forward. My dog flew from the back seat into the front, and that was about it. Just seeing yall opinions about seat belts.

 

Truck driving is the most deadly occupation (total number of deaths, not percentage of people in that occupation who die on the job) in the U.S. I'm not interested in being a statistic. The seat belt goes on before the parking brake is released. It's a habit that follows me into my Dodge.

While it's true that mass is on our side in most collisions with other vehicles, if you hit a fixed object the mass doesn't matter. And if you roll the truck as a result of stupid driving, trying to avoid an accident, or going off the road and "tripping" the truck while it's sliding, you stand a pretty good chance of being ejected from the truck if you're not belted. Even if you don't get ejected, it's like climbing in the clothes dryer for a "fluff" session.

I do agree that the government shouldn't try to force people to make good decisions. It's the same thing as helmet laws. The govt. should not be our nanny.

 

After driving trucks in Canada 20 years ago (it was law then and they were cracking down on us "yanks") I got into the habit and now feel "funny" without it on. I had to really think about the questions. You should really put another question there about habit.
Tom

 

I've been in a couple bad accidents because of STUPID people and because of the seatbelt thats the only reason I'm still here.

-I was goin about 40mph and some young gal sittin on the side of the road, shoulder decided to flip a u-turn in front of me.
-I was makin a (L) hand turn and some IDIOT not payin attention decided to pass me and broad sided me goin 55mph.

I walked away from both accident. HOO YA for seatbelts!

 

I really dislike wearing my seatbelt. With that being said, I wear it all the time. It has saved me from going through a windshield twice. Things happen that none of us have any control over and they happen fast.

 

Ive gotten into a very bad habit of not wearing mine anymore. When I used to drive my wrangler everyday, I never drove a mile w/o it (proly wouldve fallen out hahaha).

As to the law, I dont like the gov't forcing people to wear them, passengers are one thing but I dont think the driver should be forced to

 

I always put mine on before I start the truck...

 

I agree, we shouldn't be told we have to. It should just be a suggestion. With that said, I can't move across a parking lot without putting it on.

 

I never used to wear one. That changed after I rolled my old truck end over end at about 60 mph. I rag dolled inside the cab till the truck came to rest on the cab. Chevy's are tough, the front of the cab was on the dash, but the rear window was intact. Luckily I had my work boots on and kicked the window out to get out.
I NEVER drive without my seatbelt on anymore.

What really drives me nuts is seeing some loser with kids climbing all over the inside of the car while they're driving. That should be automatic jail time

 

i would wear a lap belt... since we had those in the cars back in the day.. but not a belt that straps you across the chest.

whenever i go into town, i just put the belt over my shoulder and put my arm through it.

from the side it looks like a belts on a belt really is annoying.. especially on long trips when you start trying to get comfortable and the dang thing locks up on you and your like what the heck... and then blah blah blah.

hate strap across the chest seat belts to annoying

 

I ran into a guy and I was not wearing a seat belt going about 30 mph. I almost broke my neck. The DR. said there were stress cracks (getting ready to break) just like Christopher Reeves did. I hurt for 6 months in rehab. I always wear them now! Even around the block.

 

There needs to be an option for habit, cuz thats why I wear one. It's automatic, jump in the seat and reach for the strap. I think gsdog1 may have a story for us here about wearing belts -- RIP the black, trophy-winning beast.

brandon.

 

Having seen a bunch of them, it seems to me two things happen in an accident:

First, the rig decelerates violently and deforms from the impact.

Second, the occupants collide with whatever (the windshield, or the seat belt) and decelerate, or are ejected.

No matter how much steel you have around you, you need to stay inside for it to do you any good, and getting slammed into the windshield/airbag/roof or whatever is just as bad in a big vehicle as a small one.

Some folks claim they don't wear seatbelts out of fear of fire or water-crash, but from what I've seen, your best chance of surviving something like that depends upon being alert and healthy enough after the impact to get yourself out...

That being said, I have mixed feelings about the government telling us we have to wear seatbelts (or motorcycle helmets) even though I would anyway.

 

Its now so automatic I dont realize I use it. Here in Canada its been law for a long time and they check I have been in two rollovers and many other ugly crashes and with out doubt I only survived one biggy ( 4 flips end to end at over 100, 70 Z28 totally unreconizable) because of the seat belt, there was no glass or bolt on sheet metal left on the frame, rear dif gone also. In fairness if the car didnt have a roll cage and 6pt harness I probably wouldnt be here either. IMHO it wont mater what your in a seatbelt will help save u. I read a story of a train enginer that got killed when the train derailed and he got tossed out and crushed. Weight aint gonna save you.

 

First of all, I will start off by saying that what you do in your vehicles is your business.

With that said, I have always worn one since being thrown from a vehicle 20 years ago. Force of habit, period. Even backing down the drive to get the mower out kinda habit. Kinda habit where morons could pass a law against wearing a seat belt, and I would still wear mine kinda habit.

19 Jul 2004 towing at relatively slow speed and bad things happened fast. I was wearing my belt, and walked away with a scratch on my left hand, wasn't even bleeding. Passenger riding in the front, not wearing a belt, broke his collar bone, several ribs, and his back in 2 locations.

After that, I have amended my personal belt policy: I won't ride in another persons vehicle if everyone is not wearing thier belt, and you will either wear a belt in my truck or walk. No negotiations.

Reason for the change = a person flailing about in a truck that is doing cartwheels down the road creates an enormous hazard for other occupants.

Guess it's okay to be preachy!

Thanks God....



Matt