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.
