When do you put on your seatbelt?

[Robert]

Before you start driving away? Or as you get on the road? Or some other time?
I have noticed most people seem to start putting on the seatbelt after a minute or so of driving - my wife in particular.
I put mine on as I back out of the drive way. Kind of stupid. - it's not like I'm loosing that many precious seconds by putting on the seatbelt before i start driving...

[Heywood Jablomie]

Before the car moves an inch. I've seen what can happen when someone doesn't use a seatbelt, and I've been saved by the belt. If somebody thinks the airbags will protect them, they'd be wrong. That's why it's called a supplemental restraint system. I'm generally not an overly-cautious person, but I'm pretty serious about safety belts.

And while we're on the topic of driving safety, take a look at this video about how to adjust your side mirrors. I've been setting my mirrors this way for over a year, and will tell you it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBj89kyTvWo

[guitarhack]

Generally before I even start the motor, but always before I'm moving.

[Katastrophe]

It's a habit... I put mine on before the key goes in the ignition.

[Tig]

Before I put it in gear, everyone has to be buckled up. Too many years cutting (not always alive) people out of cars taught me the value of doing this simple thing.

// I cringe every time I see children not in child seats or belted-in out on the road. Sometimes I remember the face of one little girl in particular... her gray matter on the road next to her recently sweet little head. The van rolled on it's side and her head was out of the side window and... she was gone. The father was injured, but lived to regret not buckling her up.
Sorry for grossing anyone out, but the repercussions of our decisions can get heavy some times.

[Tone2TheBone]

Ignition is turned, belt is on, iPod turned on. I have built in speaker phone in my Toyota so cell useage is good to go as soon as the car is started.

[sunvalleylaw]

As soon as I get in. Got trained that way as a kid.

[Jimi75]

Immediately when I get in the car, even before I put the keycard into the slot!

[mainestratman]

Get in, start car, seat belt, put in gear.

I'm constantly yelling at my g/f for not buckling up, but that's not something that was instilled in her as a kid.

[Eric]

It's funny, I always buckle up before moving, but I almost always turn on the ignition first, because the car always yells at me. Not sure why I do it this way, but I do.

It's taken me time to get to the point where I use a seatbelt 100% of the time, but now I don't really think about it. It wasn't one of those I'm-going-to-train-myself-to-do-this things, but rather just a habit that developed with time.

[Eric]

And while we're on the topic of driving safety, take a look at this video about how to adjust your side mirrors. I've been setting my mirrors this way for over a year, and will tell you it works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBj89kyTvWo
Cool. I'll try this when I get in the car this morning. Thanks.

[Commodore 64]

As soon as I get in. Got trained that way as a kid.

Me too.

But my dad always puts it on while driving, about 500 feet down the road. It's strange.

[mainestratman]

Re: mirror angles... I don't lean over and all that, but I've always adjusted my side mirrors so that I couldn't see the side of the vehicle..

[SuperSwede]

Our VW doesnt release the electric parking brake until the driver puts on the safety belt.

[sumitomo]

First I pull out the cup holder(half to have a place to put my beer,beside between my legs!)Just kidding,but many years ago I used to do that.I usually start driving as I buckle up.In the race car I'm strapped in before I start up.Sumi:D

[hubberjub]

Before I turn on the car.

[otaypanky]

First I pull out the cup holder(half to have a place to put my beer,beside between my legs!)Just kidding,but many years ago I used to do that.I usually start driving as I buckle up.In the race car I'm strapped in before I start up.Sumi:D

What's wrong with you Sumi ?!? Beer in the cup holder?!?
Don't you know that's why they make those hats with the cans on top? :thwap

I always buckle up right away. I worked at dealerships for many years and I even buckled up while driving in the lots. It only takes a second and anyone who's been in an accident knows the force of impact can be extreme, even at low speeds

Kudos to you Tig for the rescue work :AOK

[Katastrophe]

This is timely...

I was watching Mythbusters the other day, and they had a theory that required crashing two cars into a steel wall at 50 and 100 mph, respectively.

The 50 mph crash crushed the front end of the car by about 3 feet. The passenger compartment was largely intact, but I would imagine some serious injuries would occur at that speed, even with seatbelts.

The 100 mph crash crushed the car by 7 feet, including crushing the entire passenger compartment.

So, don't just wear the belt - watch your speed, and drive defensively, too!

[street music]

I put mine on when I start the car or truck. MY brother is a coroner and I have been at too many wrecks where the belt wasn't being worn. I would take my chances with it on , I mean that I seldom pick up the guitar without a strap being on it.

[MichaelE]

Before the engine is started. Been wearing seat belts 100% of the time since 1981.

Back in the early 80's, in one of my Buicks I had a five point harness.

[marnold]

Either right before or right after I turn the key. Certainly before putting it in gear. My parents were always made absolute sure that we'd have seatbelts when we'd go with anyone. That wasn't always a certainty in the 70s.

[Kazz]

ok guys going to be honest....I put my belt on....only after the police officer pulls away from writing a ticket.....other than that.....it stays buckled behind my back so I don't have to listen to that damn dinger going off every few seconds.

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Before the engine is started. Been wearing seat belts 100% of the time since 1981.

Back in the early 80's, in one of my Buicks I had a five point harness.
Grand National GNX?

[pes_laul]

Well after breaking about half my torso I put mine sometimes before the door even shuts

[MichaelE]

Grand National GNX?

1971 GSX Stage 1

[ZMAN]

I have been wearing a seatbelt since 1969. The car does not move until I, and everyone in the car is secured. I had a pretty good lesson that year.
I was fresh out of college and a good friend had just purchased a brand ne 69 Camaro. He called me an asked if I wanted to head up to visit a college buddy who moved 60 miles away in another town. I agreed. I got in the car and saw it had lap belts and another separate shoulder belt as well. That was the first car I had been in that had them. I buckled up and off we went.
We were driving down a 2 lane highway when we came up to a highway bus that was dropping off people. It was half on the road and half on the shoulder.
We pulled out to pass and a volkswagon hit is head on, at the drivers front.
and continued down the drivers side and off into a field.
Both of us had our belts on and all I felt was a light thump in the chest as the belts stopped us. LUckily nobody had serious injuries.
From that day I have always worn them.

[Eric]

You know, there are times now where I won't buckle up, like if I just got out to do something and only have a block or so to go until I'm done driving. However, it feels kind of weird not to buckle up -- kind of like I forgot to put on pants or something. I guess that's a sign that I'm fully conditioned, huh?

[deeaa]

Before you start driving away? Or as you get on the road? Or some other time?
I have noticed most people seem to start putting on the seatbelt after a minute or so of driving - my wife in particular.
I put mine on as I back out of the drive way. Kind of stupid. - it's not like I'm loosing that many precious seconds by putting on the seatbelt before i start driving...

I'm the same...I click it on with another hand as I start out of the driveway. Usually pretty much simultaneously, I mean, start, put on reverse, tilt my neck back and grope for the seatbelt while I do that. While with the third hand adjusting the radio :-)

[deeaa]

You know, there are times now where I won't buckle up, like if I just got out to do something and only have a block or so to go until I'm done driving. However, it feels kind of weird not to buckle up -- kind of like I forgot to put on pants or something. I guess that's a sign that I'm fully conditioned, huh?

Again, exactly the same here...for instance when I drive the one 'block' down to the gas station to pick up gas for the lawnmower or something. Or the less than a block to our training facility, if I need haul something that is (it's not like I drive a car there normally :-) but yeah, I am very conscious of it, and if it takes more than, say, 20-30 seconds of driving, most likely I'll strap it on even if in another 5 I'll be stopping already.

It just feels very naked & weird having no belt on.

There was this one occasion belts saved four lives...in my friend's dad's Saab 9000 once in the 90's, coming on to a (small) main road from a slippery crossroads...a dual-carriage truck trailer coming from the left, the car just skids onto the road in front of the speeding road train...hits the front fender, and the Saab proceeds to turn around its axis something like a dozen times, caught between the snow walls of the road and the side of the truck trailers, you know, kinda like a ball bearing between the truck and the roadside ice walls. The rotation and throwing around is so severe my buddy's hair is caught between the back hatch of the car as it closes and opens, ripping off a chunk of hair. Every head cushion of the seats is smashed to bits, and after the collision there is basically nothing left of the car, one tire with its brakes etc. is found a hundred yards away, the engine is ripped off and lying on the road, there is not a square inch of intact metal on the body, all windows blown to hell...but the actual mid section, the passenger compartment, is totally sound and everyone is sitting in their seatbelts, dazed but pretty much unharmed save some sore necks afterwards, a few glass scratches and some torn hair.

The truck driver didn't come out of the cab in what seemed 15 minutes and when he did, he had trouble standing up, very shaken, as he said he had expected to see nothing but bloody pulp in the wreckage.

What he would have, most likely, had we not had seatbelts. (And a pretty well made car to boot).

Yeah, I always wear my belt. Also, I never will drive a motorcycle or allow my sons to drive one - been in one accident and seen a cyclist rip clean in half in the middle like a banana split etc...but that's another story.

[deeaa]

Either right before or right after I turn the key. Certainly before putting it in gear. My parents were always made absolute sure that we'd have seatbelts when we'd go with anyone. That wasn't always a certainty in the 70s.

You can say that again. Our first car with seatbelts was in 1984...before that, all the kids and pets and all just lay around in whatever position they happened to like. At best six kids in a small car too...and now we have these ultra-high-tech kiddie seats, we actually have four of them all different sizes so there's always the best protection for the size of the kid. LOL.

[Robert]

So you got three hands huh? Interesting! :)

[deeaa]

So you got three hands huh? Interesting! :)

Got two small kids, had to grow an extra limb. Planning to learn how to incorporate it into my guitar playing as well.

BTW all it takes is willpower and, you know, the more milk, the faster it grows...

[marnold]

Got two small kids, had to grow an extra limb. Planning to learn how to incorporate it into my guitar playing as well.

BTW all it takes is willpower and, you know, the more milk, the faster it grows...
There's a Kids in the Hall skit in there somewhere. Or maybe Tim and Eric these days.

[Bloozcat]

Usually, I start the vehicle and turn the A/C up to full, then I worry about the seat belt (it can easily be 130+ degrees F inside a closed vehicle here). But, the belt is always on before I hit the road. I've been using the seat belt since before it became the law to do so.

I've always adjusted my side view mirrors for the blind spots. I've never understood why anyone wouldn't. I set the driver side mirror to pick up what's outside of my peripheral vision when looking straight ahead, and the passenger side mirror to the exact blind spot that's not covered by the rear view mirror or a 90 degree glance to the right. When moving to the right lane I look out the front of the vehicle, at the rear view mirror, then to the passenger side mirror, and finally to 90 degrees to my right...all in a sweeping motion. It covers the whole 180 degrees right of center. It always seemed like a no-brainer to me.

Why have three mirrors all viewing the same 90 degrees (or less) behind the vehicle?