Finally, since the first time I was forced to wear seat belts as a child, and the mis-aligned shoulder belt cut into my face ... I have found research to back up what I've always suspected.
Check this out:
www.barvennon.com/seatbelt.html
Basically, the stuff it covers are things like:
- Yes, Seat belts may prevent injury of intert dummies in front impact collisions, the research on them does not take into account other collision types or an actively resisting occupant.
- Any legitimate research (re Volvo) done was performed in the 60's on an entirely different kind of vehicle (since about 1980, all passenger vehicles no longer have frames and roll-bars, but uni-bodies).
- Recent research has been performed mostly by governemt agencies that get funding dependant on results.
- Field results of seat belt effectivness often eliminates unfavorable statistics (like pedestrian losses)
- Often drivers are inquired about seatbelt use with punative incentives.
Basically, we're not particularly sure that seatbelts save lives, and based on Hawaii, we might assume that they are costing lives. Why are they ramping up enforcement?
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