Seat Belts Save LIVES
A seatbelt is required while driving a commercial motor vehicle and your chances of surviving an accident while wearing a seatbelt increase astronomically.
A properly worn seat restraint should sit low on your hips bones and the shoulder belt goes across the center of your chest.
Section 392.16 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) requires a CMV driver to wear a seat belt. There should not even be a regulation for this, as we should take the steps to protect ourselves.
In 2010 78% of drivers use their seat belts and I have to imagine it is much higher now. I found the following list on the FMCSA web site and I thought it was interesting:
Myth 1
Safety belts are uncomfortable and restrict movement.
In our truck the seat belt is easily adjusted to fit a 5'3" person to a 6'4" person quickly and easily.
Myth 2
Wearing a safety belt is a personal decision that doesn't affect anyone else.
It should BE a personal decision to buckle up before moving a CMV and every driver should want to do this.
Myth 3
Safety belts prevent your escape from a burning or submerged vehicle.
Safety belts can protect you from be knocked unconscious and allowing you to free yourself.
Myth 4
It's better to be thrown clear of the wreckage in case of a crash.
I do not know of to many people who have survived going through a windshield or being thrown around inside a cab during a roll over.
Myth 5
It takes to long to fasten your seat belt.
Really? It takes less then 15 seconds to fasten mine.
Myth 6
Good drivers don't need to wear safety belts.
Well it is the bad driver that is going to run into us....
Myth 7
A large truck will protect you. Safety belts are unnecessary.
Inertia is inertia
Myth 8
Safety belts are necessary for low-speed driving
Once again inertia is inertia and breaking ribs or cracking a skull will hurt our income potential
Our company has had to go so far as to implement a new rule that if a citation is issued for not wearing a seat belt we are in jeopardy of losing our lease. Why in the world would this rule need to be implemented? Because too many drivers choose not to wear a seat belt.
In our home state of Missouri so far this year there have been 668 traffic deaths and 62% were not wearing their seatbelts.
We have added bright florescent yellow covers to our seat belts that were provided by our company to increase the visibility of our seat belt use. While coming through New Mexico I noticed a straight truck going westbound with us going eastbound and I could clearly see that the driver had on his seat belt. If I can see the use of a seat belt from that great of distance so can an officer of the law.