As an experienced car accident lawyer in Tampa, the firm of attorneys at Clark and Martino, P.A., understand that serious injuries can happen regardless of whether a seatbelt is worn or not. The statistics, however, make a great case in favor of Florida seatbelt laws and seat belt safety.

Virtually all states have some type of seat belt law. Seat belt laws come in two different forms: primary and secondary. A primary seatbelt law allows a ticket to be issued to the driver for non-use of seatbelts, even if no other traffic violation has occurred. A secondary seatbelt law says that an officer may issue a ticket for non-use of seatbelts only if the vehicle is stopped for another reason.

Florida seatbelt laws are basically secondary seatbelt laws. Florida’s current seat belt law requires all front seat occupants to wear a seat belt, regardless of age or whether the vehicle has an airbag. Passengers 18 and older can be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt. The driver may be ticketed for passengers under the age of 18 who are not properly restrained. Children from 6 to 17 years old must be belted regardless of whether they’re sitting in a front seat or back seat. For children under the age of 6, there are further restrictions and higher penalties in Florida regarding seat belt safety. Through the age of 3, the child must be secured in a separate approved carrier or in an integrated child safety seat. Children ages 4 and 5 may be seated in a separate carrier, integrated child safety seat, or safety belt.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), lap and shoulder seatbelts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injuries of front-seat car occupants by 45 percent. Seatbelts reduce the risk of moderate to critical injuries in cars by 50 percent. For light truck occupants, seatbelts reduce the risk of fatal, critical, and moderate injuries at even higher percentages. In addition, the NHTSA estimates that 15,383 lives were saved in 2006 because of seatbelt use.

While there’s nothing you can do to guarantee safety on the road, seatbelts greatly reduce the risk of moderate, critical, and fatal injuries in car accidents. One of the main ways that Florida seatbelt laws save lives is by preventing the chance of being ejected from the vehicle, which is one of the most deadly events that can happen during an auto accident. If you’d like to speak to a car accident lawyer in Tampa about injuries you sustained during an auto accident or because of seatbelt failure or poor design, please call or e-mail Clark and Martino, P.A.