Obese, Pregnant Drivers Take More Risks With Seat Belts

If you need another reason to put down the Big Mac and go for a jog every once in awhile, try this: If you do, you’ll be less likely to die in a car accident.

According to studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, not only are obese people more likely to die or be severely injured in a car accident because of the negative health consequences of being overweight, but also because they are less likely to wear their seat belts. Only 70% of obese people regularly wear their seat belts, as opposed to 83% of the general driving population.

Today, 40 million Americans are considered obese, with another 58 million overweight people on their heels. If you want a good illustration of how fat our country has become, take a look at seat belts. In just 10 years, automakers have gone from making seat belts 12 inches longer than required by law to making them 18 to 20 inches longer.

These risks are also associated with pregnant women, who also too frequently choose to not buckle up because the belt is uncomfortable. Recently, we wrote about a seat belt designed specifically for pregnant women.

NHTSA is considering upgrading its belt requirements, but with belts already longer than law requires, it seems unlikely such a change would do much. Perhaps Ford has the right idea: It’s studied the possibility of four-point seat belts, like those worn by NASCAR drivers, which it thinks might be more comfortable for larger drivers.

Buckle Up Over That Belly (Detroit News)