Seatbelt Laws and Auto Accidents in Delaware
If you have been hurt in an auto accident, Silverman, McDonald & Friedman may be able to help you obtain the compensation you need in order to recover from your injuries. Please contact our offices in Wilmington, Seaford or Newark to make an appointment with a skilled auto accident lawyer.
If you are under the age of 54, your best chance of accidental death is in a motor vehicle crash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For adults and children, seat belt use is the most effective way to save their lives in the event of an auto accident and reduce injuries, but there are millions of both drivers and passengers who still do not buckle their seat belt on every trip in a car.
In 2014, about 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants died and more than 2.3 million were treated in emergency rooms after having been injured in a car crash according to the CDC. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 87 percent of front seat vehicle occupants in a daytime observational survey used safety belts. Unrestrained vehicle occupants are more likely than restrained occupants to be fatally injured in a crash. Among those who were fatally injured in traffic crashes who were 13 and older, only 48 percent of drivers and 44 percent of passengers were belted.
According to Delaware.gov, Delaware’s seat belt use rate is 92 percent as compared to the national average rate of 92 percent. In 2014 there were 14 fatal vehicle traffic crashes ad 50 percent of those who were killed were not wearing seat belts compared to the current 42 percent of 31 fatal vehicle occupants.
Delaware takes its seat belt safety laws seriously and drivers should do the same if they want to do something simple that cane increase their chances of surviving a car crash and lessening any injuries. Under Delaware law, all occupants including the driver, front and back seat passengers are required to wear a seat belt. In Delaware, not wearing a seat belt is a primary offense, which means a law enforcement officer can pull a driver over if he sees anyone in the vehicle not wearing a safety belt even if there is no other violation. If you or someone you care about was injured in a car crash that was caused by another driver’s negligence, you may want to schedule a free consultation with a Delaware car crash attorney from the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman.
You are welcome to call us at 302.414.5553 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your auto accident case with one of our knowledgeable attorneys. From our offices in Newark, Seaford and Wilmington, the auto accident lawyers of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman serve the needs of clients throughout Delaware.
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.