Arkansas law requires seat belt use in all motor vehicles. Children under the age of 15 must be buckled up, no matter which seat they are using. Drivers and front seat passengers must be buckled at all times. The safety benefits of wearing a seat belt are indisputable. Seat belts keep you in the vehicle in the case of a crash. You are 25 times more likely to be killed when thrown from your vehicle. Seat belts also protect you from serous airbag injuries by positioning you properly in a seat. Airbags deploy at approximately 100 mph, and are designed to cushion the impact of a crash but work only when you are properly sitting in the seat.
Despite the benefits of seat belts, did you know that seat belts can also cause injuries that you might not be aware of at the time of the crash? The most obvious injury is pain across the chest and sternum, often accompanied by bruising where the seat belt engaged to keep you safe. However, seat belts can also cause internal damage that may not manifest for several days or weeks after a crash. These types of injuries are known as "Seat Belt Syndrome."
---SEAT BELT SYNDROME---
Seat Belt Syndrome usually involves three types of injuries: hollow viscus injury, flexion-distraction fractures of the lumbar spine, and abdominal wall disruptions. Spinal injury is typically detected in the emergency room immediately after the crash. But, the abdominal injuries are more difficult to detect. Your seat belt can perforate your small bowel and cause mesenteric tears of the small bowel and colon. You may not experience pain immediately after the crash, but you may experience the following symptoms in the days and weeks following the crash: nausea, vomiting, blood in the urine, fever, difficulty eating, abdominal pain and tenderness, rigidity, and diminished or absent bowel sounds. If you have these symptoms in the weeks following a crash, you should seek immediate medical attention.
---ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT. SEAT BELTS SAVE LIVES---
But, be aware of the signs of seat belt injuries. Studies show that early medical intervention is vital in treating seat belt injuries. If you have been in a car crash and are exhibiting signs of seat belt injury, give me a call at Sexton & Sanders Law Firm (479.782.3434) -We're Here for You!
---CALL AND ASK FOR JACKIE! 479.782.3434---
*Want to know more about Seat Belt Syndrome?
Check out a case study published by the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports for more detailed explanation including pictures: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818312/ (Authors: Labib Al-Ozaibi,⁎ Judy Adnan, Batool Hassan, Alya Al-Mazroui, and Faisal Al-Badri)
