How can seat belts save money?

When people use seat belts, they tend to stay in one place inside of the vehicle when it is involved in an accident. And with the addition of air bags and strengthened passenger compartment, that tends to reduce injury and/or death to the driver a... read more

First of all, if people are not terribly injured, they tend to not have to go to the hospital for a long stay, and are not required to miss work or lose their job because of their injury, and the insurance company doesn’t have to pay out huge sums of money to repair the people, and perhaps provide long term care over many years. read more

Seat belt laws that apply to everyone in the car, not just those in the front seat. Fines for not wearing a seat belt that are high enough to be effective. Make sure that police and state troopers enforce all seat belt laws. Support seat belt laws with visible police presence and awareness campaigns for the public. read more

In written testimony, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment estimated that a primary seat belt law in Kansas would save the state about $70 million. Kansas is one of 19 states that requires drivers to wear seat belts but doesn't allow law enforcement to pull a vehicle over for such an infraction, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association. read more