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Seat Belts and Air Bags Safe for Pregnant Women
Due to myths regarding safety restraints and features in cars (such as seat belts and air bags), many of pregnant women are less protected than they should be.
March 18, 2010 /Healthcare PR News/ -- Seat Belts and Air Bags Safe for Pregnant Women
Each year, 32,800 pregnant women are involved in traffic accidents all across the United States. Due to myths regarding safety restraints and features in cars (such as seat belts and air bags), many of these women are less protected than they should be.
According to Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway, in a recent article on the Basil and Spice Web site, she is often asked by pregnant women to "write a note excusing her from wearing a seat belt so that she can avoid paying a ticket," at which point, Dr. Burke-Galloway says, "I climb up on my soapbox and preach." Her message? Use the protective measures provided by your car; they will make you safer.
One common myth is that seat belts, because of their tightness and proximity to a pregnant woman's belly, are somehow bad for the unborn child. This is just not true, according to a report published in American Family Physician. It calls proper seat belt use "the most significant modifiable factor in decreasing maternal and fetal injury and mortality after motor vehicle crashes."
Similarly, air bags, which were admittedly once a danger to pregnant women, have been redesigned and are now safe. According to a recent study, lead researcher Melissa Schiff found that air bags that deploy during an accident do not produce more negative effects than those produced when pregnant women are involved in car accidents without the deployment of air bags.
On a national level, there are roughly 6 million car accidents every year, and, as stated, roughly 33,000 of them include pregnant women. And while there are no national reports on deaths or injuries, estimates can be made on a smaller scale to see how seat belt use could be affecting pregnant women and their fetuses.
In 2008, there were 243,342 car accidents reported in Florida. Assuming pregnant women in Florida get into accidents at roughly the same rate as everywhere else, roughly 1,374 of those accidents involved pregnant women. And since roughly half of all accidents nationwide (and in Florida) result in death or physical injury, an estimated 650 or so pregnant women in Florida are risking injury or death each year. And when it is taken into account that of the 2,983 car crashes in Florida that resulted in death, nearly a third involved people who weren't wearing their seat belts, the risk for pregnant women goes up even further.
No car or its passengers can ever be truly "safe" in the case of an accident, but taking safety measures like seat belts and air bags can drastically improve the chances not only for the expectant mother, but for her unborn child as well.
Article provided by Law Offices of Corey Leifer, P.A.
Visit us at www.leiferlaw.com
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