National Seat Belt Day is November 14

National Seat Belt Day Kansas Missouri

National Seat Belt Day takes place on November 14, 2020. The event was established in 2019 to commemorate the invention of the three-point seat belt and to raise awareness of the importance of seat belt use. The originators were the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), popular rideshare service Uber, and Volvo. The Swedish carmaker created the modern seat belt in 1959, setting a new standard for safety.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) claims, “Of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, 47% were not wearing seat belts. In 2017 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing seat belts.” To put it in the simplest terms, seat belts save lives.

Patterson Legal Group hopes that you take some time on National Seat Belt Day to make sure that your family is familiar with your state’s seat belt laws. More importantly, our team hopes that you emphasize the importance of properly wearing seat belts. 

Kansas Seat Belt Laws

Seat belt laws in Kansas are relatively straightforward. They are divided into primary and secondary offenses. For the former, drivers and passengers may be fined or ticketed for not following the law. For the latter, drivers and passengers may be fined or ticketed if the car has been pulled over for another reason. Here are the basic rules:

  • The driver and front-seat passenger must wear seat belts (primary)
  • People ages 14-17 must wear a seat belt in front or rear seats (primary)
  • People 18 and over must wear a seat belt in rear seats (secondary)

Missouri Seat Belt Laws

Missouri seat belt laws make subtle distinctions between cars and trucks. All laws are secondary, but some have primary enforcement. They include:

  • The driver and front-seat passenger must wear seat belts
  • People ages 4-15 must wear seat belts in any type of vehicle, front or back
  • People under 18 must wear seat belts while driving or riding in a truck
  • People under 18 are not allowed to ride in a truck bed

Ways to Observe National Seat Belt Day

Whether you’re a driver or a passenger, you are much safer wearing a seat belt. It can make the difference between minor injuries and catastrophic injuries. It can even make the difference between surviving a car accident and wrongful death. National Seat Belt Day is a great time to review your family’s safety practices. Some simple but effective things you can do include:

  • Making sure you buckle up before driving
  • Checking that your front-seat passenger is buckled up
  • Asking your rear-seat passengers to buckle up, regardless of age
  • Being familiar with your state’s child seat laws
  • Checking the condition of your seat belts to make sure that they’re working properly

The proper use of seat belts dramatically reduces the risk of death and serious injury. It’s a simple act with enormous benefits. Make sure that everyone in your household understands that is what National Seat Belt Day is all about.

Injured in a Car Accident? Call Patterson Legal Group!

Unfortunately, there are times when you or a loved one will suffer an injury despite wearing a seat belt. In those cases, Patterson Legal Group can help you. Our team of experienced attorneys has extensive experience dealing with deceptive insurance companies and a successful history of winning our clients the highest compensation possible. 

Don’t let the insurance companies take advantage of your situation. Contact us today at 888-687-2400 or through the Internet via encrypted contact form or LiveChat.

The information on this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as legal advice for an individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship nor does viewing this material constitute an attorney-client relationship.