The largest travel season of the year is almost upon us and this year is going to be a busy one! According to AAA, more than 55 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving. It is anticipated to be the second-highest travel volume since AAA began tracking travel back in 2000. More than 49 million people are likely to hit the road to reach their turkey-day destination—the most since 2005. With so many people expected to be on the road this Thanksgiving season, it is important to remember safety is paramount. If you are one of the millions hitting the roads to get your gobble-gobble on, remember to buckle up and make sure that all of your passengers do so as well.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (“GHSA”) released a report this month that suggests that 25 percent of adults do not buckle up when seated in the backseat. Part of the problem, according to the report, is that laws vary widely across the country as to whether adults sitting in the backseat are required to wear a seat belt. While 49 states have primary or secondary requirements for front seated adult occupants to wear seat belts, only 30 states have requirements for adults seated in the backseat. In 11 of the 30 states, it is a secondary offense, and for the other 19 it is a primary offense. In other words, in only 19 states can a vehicle be pulled over for a rear passenger not wearing a seat belt. Kansas is a primary offense state, while Missouri is one of the 20 states that does not have a legal requirement for rear-seated adults to buckle up.
Regardless of the law, it is dangerous for any occupant to ride in a car without a seatbelt. In fact, passengers seated in the backseat were twice as likely to die in a crash if not wearing a seatbelt. According to the same GHSA report, a minimum of 803 unrestrained rear-seated passengers were killed in traffic accidents in 2018 alone. It is estimated that more than 400 of those killed would have survived the crash had they been wearing a seatbelt.
So why is it that adults who 90 percent of the time wear a seat belt when seated in the front, only wear a seatbelt 76 percent of the time when seated in the rear? According to self-reports, one of the main reasons rear passengers do not feel the need to buckle up is when they are on a short trip or are a passenger in a taxi or rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft. Other reasons passengers stated for not buckling up included: forgetting, lack of comfort, and other passengers not being belted in.
This holiday season set a good example and buckle up! Also, make sure that no matter how short the trip or who is doing the driving, always wear your seatbelt.
If you have suffered serious injuries after being involved in a car accident, you want an attorney who will make it their priority to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. Remember, only a seasoned Kansas City Injury Attorney can protect your rights! For more than 60 years, victims in both Kansas and Missouri have turned to the seasoned Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. The trusted team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys are experienced trial attorneys who will fight to make sure your rights are protected. To schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys, contact Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. today at (816) 472-4673.