I’ve been practicing personal injury litigation for just over 20 years, the first four representing insurance companies and the last sixteen representing only plaintiffs. Over that period of time seatbelt use has increased. Safety features in our cars have become more sophisticated – largely because of the work done by injury lawyers sending the message to auto manufacturers that profits never come before people. Even so, it only takes a fraction of a second to lose everything. It only takes a fraction of a second for your family to lose you. Ironically it only takes a fraction of a second to buckle up.
We’ve all been told to buckle up by parents, a spouse or police officer. We can be hurt, maimed or killed if we don’t wear one. The message has been beaten into us.
A film producer in the UK has come up with a short public service video that approaches the problem from a slightly different angle. It shows us how seatbelts keep our families and loved ones from harm and grief. It asks us to remember that we’re loved and that we don’t suffer alone when we’re injured or killed in a crash.
The film is short, moving and beautiful. Please have a look.
Ted Bergeron