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Two wrecks in the past week have claimed the lives of four Miss-Lou residents. All four of them were not wearing seat belts.

Our condolences go out to each of the families who have lost loved ones in these tragic incidents. We hope this will remind others that life is fragile and worth protecting.

No one can be sure if wearing a seat belt would have saved their lives, but statistically, the chance of surviving an accident is better if you wear a seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 47 percent of vehicle occupants killed in 2019 did not wear their seat belts.

In 2019, 10,441 vehicle occupants died who did not buckle up. Not only do seat belts increase your odds of surviving a crash, but it is also the law in the State of Mississippi and Louisiana to wear your seat belt.

According to the Center for Disease Control website, 79 percent of Louisianans wear their seat belt which is eight percent below the national seat belt usage at 87 percent. In Mississippi, 83 percent of drivers wear their seat belts.

It takes one simple motion to buckle your seat belt. It takes less than a minute to click it, and it takes one moment for a car wreck to happen. Don’t be one of those people who is missed by loved ones because you did not buckle up. Take the time to put safety first.

Ever since Volvo invented the three-point seat belt in 1959, automobiles do not have to be as dangerous. There are people who want to see you alive and reach your destination. Buckle up. It really is that simple.