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Everyone wears a seat belt nowadays, right?

After hundreds of thousands of injuries were sustained due to drivers or passengers electing not to wear a seat belt, federal law mandated the seat belt requirement. Now, as of 2019, 90.7% of vehicle drivers and passengers wear seat belts.

Although that number might lead you to believe that nearly all vehicle occupants wear a seat belt, it fails to account for passengers that ride in the back seat. Only 76% of adults use a seat belt when riding in the rear.

Why is there a discrepancy between seat belt use in the front seats and the back?

With the technological advances in newer cars, there is an annoying beeping noise that reminds drivers and passengers to buckle up. There is no reminder for those sitting in the back. Or, those riding in the back seat feel as though they are safer in the back—although that is not necessarily true.

Additionally, when drivers hop in an Uber or Lyft, they may feel as though they don’t have to buckle.

The safety risks of not using a seat belt

Even though the dangers of not wearing a seat belt are widely known, people are still neglecting to wear them—especially when riding in the back.

Not wearing a seat belt increases the chances of moderate to critical injury by 50%. Especially for those using ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber, it’s crucial they remember to buckle up.

As the use of ridesharing service industry booms in the United States, its crucial that passengers are aware of the risks associated with not wearing a seat belt. Everyone should get in the habit of wearing their seat belt no matter whether they are in the front or back of any vehicle.

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