Auto Accident Attorneys Encourage Adherence to Seat Belt Laws in Tampa, Orlando, St Petersburg, and the Rest of Central Florida

People have known that seat belts save lives even before wearing them became a requirement in Florida in the mid-1980s. However, not everyone does and auto accident attorneys can attest to that fact. From time to time they get clients from Lakeland, Clearwater, Pasco, or elsewhere in central Florida, who have been badly injured in an accident because they weren’t wearing their seat belt. This often result in injuries more numerous and serious than they would have been if a seat belt had been worn. Additionally, an insurance company may be able to dispute your claims for compensation if you weren’t wearing your seat belt at the time of the accident, by arguing that you wouldn’t have sustained your injuries – or they wouldn’t have been as substantial – if you were wearing a seat belt.  These are the reasons auto accident attorneys like those at Kennedy Law Group in Tampa recommend following Florida seat belt laws.

Here’s a summary of those laws:

• All passengers riding in the front seat must wear a seat belt.
• Anyone under 18 must wear a seat belt.
• Children 3 and under must ride in a federally approved car seat.
• Children ages 4 and 5 must ride in a federally approved car seat or safety belt.

Auto accident attorneys will likely tell you that adhering to these laws can substantially reduce the risk of injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing seat belts lowers the chances of fatal injuries to front-seat passengers and drivers by 45 percent. They also lower the risk of moderate to critical injuries by 50 percent. Unfortunately, even when you follow these rules there is a chance you could be injured in an accident.

If this happens to you, contact Kennedy Law Group today and one of our auto accident attorneys will review your case for free to determine if we can help you. We’re happy to serve those anywhere in central Florida, from Orlando to Clearwater and Pasco County to St Petersburg.