34 people died due to traffic crashes in Wisconsin last month[i].  That marks an increase of nearly 50% compared to February 2011.  Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials indicate there are many reasons for this increase.  However, a significant factor leading to the increase is that the driver and passengers were wearing their seatbelts.  That condition has led to several of the accident involving multiple fatalities.  "The best protection against being ejected from a vehicle during a crash or thrown around violently inside it and possibly hitting another vehicle occupant with massive force is to always wear safety belts," said State Patrol Major Sandra Huxtable, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety.  Unfortunately, many vehicle occupants ignore the seat belt law.  "On average, during the last three years, there have been more than 100,000 convictions in Wisconsin for failure to wear safety belts." 

Unfortunately, in my practice, I see many auto accident related injuries or deaths that could have been avoided, and it surprises me to hear that people still don't buckle up.  However, we cannot overlook that careless driving is the real cause of these crashes.  Cell phone use while driving has become an epidemic in this country and leads to thousands of deaths each year.  Driving too fast for road conditions (especially in Wisconsin winters) is also a major cause of injury or fatal crashes.  I agree the best way a person can protect themselves against careless drivers is to wear a seatbelt.   However, the best way for a driver to prevent serious accidents is to eliminate dangerous distractions while driving and always understand their surroundings.