Not wearing a seatbelt can sometimes save lives...

[Sidewinder]

http://wnep.com/Global/story.asp?s=4061265

Background information^^

Jessica Bartalotta, a West Pittston (my town) police officer, was driving an unmarked police car when she was hit by a police SUV from another town. My mom personally knows another West Pittston police officer and was talking. When the crash occurred, Officer Bartalotta was not wearing a seatbelt. The result of this was her sliding under the dashboard when the vehicles collided. The front end of the car was smashed in such a way that the dashboard was pushed up into the back of the driver's seat. If Officer Bartalotta had been wearing her seat belt, she could be dead.

Normally, seat belts save lives. I personally always wear a seat belt. In my opinion, seat belts should be worn regularly by everyone. This was just one of the amazing exceptions to when a seat belt would have ended, not saved, a life.

[Kowboy]

Wow, incredibly lucky woman, I live in Jacksonville, Fl, and it is not very uncommon to see a body or two being put in body bags every day because of driving accidents. I was 13 when I saw a dead body, a wreck happened and we were the first car stopped at the redlight it happened at, was 20 feet away, I watched the cops put 2 bodies into body bags, ever since then, I wear my seatbelt, but damn, that is one incredibly lucky woman...is she okay, any severe injuries?

[Dynastar197]

A good buddy of mine lost control of his jeep after driving over a patch of ice. When the jeep caught traction after veering off road, he was flung out onto the grass. However as he was being thrown out of the Jeep, it began to flip and amazingly did two complete rotations about 5 feet above him. The jeep landed beside him and continued roll until it was a mangled pile of twisted metal. He suffered no injuries and wouldve definitely been ripped to pieces if he had been wearing his seat belt.

Somtimes things like this happen, most of the time they dont. If you dont wear your seatbelt, your probably going to die. Hell I almost did. I hit the rear end of a stopped semi at about 65mph in a mazda protege. I wasnt wearing a belt, and I had the broken ribs/vertebre to prove it. Especially in these newer cars with about 43290857 airbags. They work in conjunction with each other. I think they actually increase your chances of death if your not wearing a seatbelt.

HAPPY MOTORING! :D

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by Kowboy

Wow, incredibly lucky woman, I live in Jacksonville, Fl, and it is not very uncommon to see a body or two being put in body bags every day because of driving accidents. I was 13 when I saw a dead body, a wreck happened and we were the first car stopped at the redlight it happened at, was 20 feet away, I watched the cops put 2 bodies into body bags, ever since then, I wear my seatbelt, but damn, that is one incredibly lucky woman...is she okay, any severe injuries?

She was in critical condition and in the intensive care unit, but I think she is going to be all right.

[Kowboy]

That is crazy, what an extremely lucky woman, It's hard to believe that anyone would survive a crash where the dashboard is shoved up into the top of the seats, I guess that's God's will.

[Big Red 11]

Originally Posted by Kowboy

I guess that's God's will.

Or physics...

I'm amazed that the force that is powerful enough to shove a dashboard that far wasnt strong enough to crumple her against the floor, shattering her legs and spine and causing massive internal bleeding.

[Kowboy]

Originally Posted by Big Red 11

Or physics...

I'm amazed that the force that is powerful enough to shove a dashboard that far wasnt strong enough to crumple her against the floor, shattering her legs and spine and causing massive internal bleeding.

Yeah man, i'm sure she has some crushed bones, there's no way the force didn't push her down flat, it's crazy she's alive if the dashboard is crushed in like that...idk its crazy