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In the 25 years that I worked on a fire department, the vast majority of fatalities at motor vehicle accidents that I saw were directly related to people not wearing their seat belts. So I guess that I am a stronger believer in them than most. I also saw many more MVAs with horrific damage to the vehicles where once we managed to extricate the occupants they had only minor injuries which was quite amazing in many cases.

Because of the unending poor design of the shoulder harness part of the seat belt. You'd think after 40 years they would design a shoulder harness that doesn't seem to have to position itself around a persons neck. I don't wear Tee shirts nor button the top two buttons on shirts for the same reason. A suit and a tie? Never! I'll rip it off my chest. Lap belts I'm fine with but taking a shoulder/seat belt combination and placing the shoulder harness portion behind my back makes both ineffective.

I think seat belts and even a chest belt are great ideas. Too bad the engineers and designers of them can't seem to focus on making them to where they don't constantly agitate the user by rubbing or pressing the side of their neck due to them being mounted behind and above head level at an angle. That should be an easy enough to resolve issue to design a more user friendly {height adjustable} and comfortable system. Make the shoulder harness portions height adjustable for all and mounted on a locking track instead of the current one size fits all to cover everyone from 4'10 to 6'6" with no consideration where it touches the persons body. Or make an adjustable chest belt built into the seat itself crossways. Even theme park roller coaster rides have better shoulder harnesses. Notice they go down the sides straight up and down away for the persons neck?

Finding the reason as too why people can't or don't wear them is never studied or taken seriously it seems.If it was we'd likely see needed changes made. The basic design has not changed since they first came out you'll notice. Making someone wear them by threat of laws and insurers is their answer. Again the concept is great. The focus on functional comfort has been ignored for decades though.

Making someone wear them by threat of laws and insurers is their answer. Again the concept is great. The focus on functional comfort has been ignored for decades though.

I grew up on acreage with cows and horses. My dad used to let my brother and sisters and I ride home on top of the hay truck. We loved it because it felt like we were flying 12 or so feet up in the air going down the highway. Even new cars when I was little didn’t have seat belts. So up until they made it mandatory I wasn’t in the habit of wearing a seat belt.

I don’t think it is comfort... I think it is largely habit that keeps people from wearing a safety belt. I don’t know that it should be the law except that laws do help people like me change their habits.