Car Safety: How Wearing a Seat Belt Saved My Life

Growing up parents warn their children to always fasten their seatbelt. Always hoping they will never be put in a situation where a seatbelt will be needed. Their children grow up and maybe even have children of their own. However, not everyone wears their seatbelt. This message is especially for them.

As a teen I never wore my seatbelt. As a driver I did because I didn’t want to pay a severe fine. Next time I get in a car I will wear my seatbelt because it recently saved my life.

New Years’ Eve I was running some last minuet errands before I had to go to work. I was really excite because I finally went and got a new flat iron for my hair, my old one had broken. I usually would have made a left on the main road to get gas at the full service gas station, and then head onto the expressway.

The road conditions were pretty slick and icy, and the holiday traffic was fierce, so I decided to go straight ahead to the alternate route. It isn’t an expressway I usually take, but I was kind of proud that I knew how to get downtown from there so I got on.

I was going the speed limit, and I saw the lane change for the connecting highway that I needed to get downtown so I started to change lanes. In the blink of an eye I was way too close to the guard rail as my car was slipping and sliding. I realized I had no control of my vehicle, nor was it possible at that point to gain control.

I slammed into the guardrail spinning my car into the lamppost taking it clear out. My car was then thrown into a ditch rolling several times landing on its roof. I remember hearing the air bags deploy. I could see them, but they weren’t even close to my body.

I hung upside down for what seemed like forever, but in real time it was about a second. I felt the passenger window blow in and snow hit me in the face. I realized I was still alive.

I tried to get out but then I realized my seatbelt was still fastened. I released my self and got out. I survived. Not only did I survive, but with a few bruises, scratches, and some torn muscles. Every nurse, every doctor, all said they couldn’t believe they were looking at me. All of them said “You must have had your seatbelt on.”

I went three days later to see the car. I was shocked, but mostly thankful to be alive still. I have included the pictures of the car in this article. They are mostly from the lot where my car was towed. The one, however that is of my car on it’s roof, is from the actual accident, taken by one of the paramedics called on scene.