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From: walsh@ihuxi.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Seatbelt discussion -- new twist
Message-ID: <784@ihuxi.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Jan-84 16:33:53 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxi.784
Posted: Fri Jan 27 16:33:53 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 31-Jan-84 02:23:01 EST
References: <93@whuxj.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
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I've heard of two instances where NOT wearing a belt saved lives.
(I am certainly not advocating not wearing seatbelts, however. Two
out of hundreds is not much!)
The first was my sister-in-law's sister. She had been a passenger
in a car full of people (maybe five or six). There was a terrible
accident (I can barely remember the details), and she was the only
one thrown clear of the car. She was also the only one that survived,
although she suffered a broken back, and is now recovered.
The second was a tongue-in-cheek tale (maybe I read it in netnews?)
of a guy whose car flew over the side of a cliff after he'd been thrown
clear. He was ticketed for not wearing his seatbelt! (I think this was
in Europe somewhere). 

These instances are certainly rare, and are not enough to convince me
or any other informed person that seatbelts are not necessary. Anyone
who has ever worked in a hospital or such knows only too well what
the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt are.

I'm sure that for every story like the two above, there are hundreds
in which the cause of death or injury was being thrown from the car.

B. Walsh

P. S. - Another important safety act, besides buckling up, is locking
the doors while driving. This also helps to prevent being thrown from
the car.