Why You Should Buckle Up

[007Cruiser]

GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP — A Wisconsin man was killed Sunday when the car he was riding in rolled over.

Will County Sheriff’s police say Jason M. Manchester, 32, of Racine was riding in a black 2002 Ford Thunderbird being driven by a 17-year-old Racine girl about 4:15 p.m.

“The vehicle was northbound on Scheer Road at a high rate of speed when it appeared to lose control on the loose gravel and rolled several times,” reports said.

The passenger was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver suffered head and arm injuries but was wearing a seat belt and is expected to survive.

The Thunderbird was owned by a relative of the occupants who lives in New Lenox, reports said.

[merlot4]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

A sad story, however, with no roll bar the chances of survival aren't what I would call great with a roll over unless the windshield surround can support and deflect the impact.

[Gobird]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

I always wear my belt but: I bought a 69 Vette years ago and the guy redid the interior but never put the seat belts back in. He gave me extra parts with the car and the seat belts were in the box. I never installed them. Bad idea!!! When I was 50 years old I was driving the Vette on a back road and lost control that was just oiled and chipped and went into a 90 degree turn. I went head on into a 5' dirt bank. When I woke up about an hour later I looked in my rear view and saw fire trucks and an ambulance. I couldn't move my head. I broke my neck after hitting the roof of the car. I was off work for over 7 month and had a bone fusion done to my neck.

ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT!!!!!!!!!!

[007Cruiser]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

A sad story, however, with no roll bar the chances of survival aren't what I would call great with a roll over unless the windshield surround can support and deflect the impact.

While it is a sad story, the buckled driver survived even though the car rolled several times. The unbuckled passenger, however, was ejected and did not survive.

[AZTB]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

I'd say the driver was lucky. The windshield on this vehicle is not designed to act as a roll bar. And regardless, in ALL cases, wear the belt.

[jerrym3]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Don't have belts in my 64 Galaxie due to combined laziness and procrastination.

[4LOWBIRDS+7]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

1954 Lincoln, guess my position on use of seat belts.

[AZTB]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Again, Ron...that is one gorgeous car.

[wcoates]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

I always wear my belt but: I bought a 69 Vette years ago and the guy redid the interior but never put the seat belts back in.
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT!!!!!!!!!!

Yes a sad sad story.

I had just polished my new to me 69 Vette (1971) and we were going to church at way to much speed. I look at the hood ornament every day with wax still on it (about the only thing to survive) and thank God for being alive. No seat belts and neither wife nor I would be alive today.


Yes.....ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT!!!!!!!!!!

[Wyo_Bird]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Don't have belts in my 64 Galaxie due to combined laziness and procrastination.

I always wear my seatbelts,but for pretty much the reasons you listed I've never installed them in my Galaxie.

[Southern]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Wow. Tough story, Spence. I can tell you a personal story where if I had been wearing a seat belt, I probably would have died. But in this day and age, I believe in them.

[jerrym3]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

As a kid working for an auto body shop in 1961, I frequently went to the local wrecking yard for hard to get parts.

Saw a wrecked 56 Ford one day with teeth imprints in the dash on the passenger side.

The dash was not padded.

[5bird7]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Really tough story especially for the driver since she has to live with the fact that her favorite cousin is no longer. A follow up story relates that she's home already with dislocated shoulder as the worst of her injuries. Wonder which side of the car landed on the ground as it sounds like it was airborne during the roll overs.

[Rdlagray]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

Started wearing my belts all the time in the early nineties I think. I even buckle up the lap belt when in the 65 fastback. I'm redoing a 65 mustang GT probably going to do the 3 point belt in that car.

[Paul]

Re: Why You Should Buckle Up

007Cruiser,
There is a small community of Hazelhurst, Wisconsin roughly one half hour North of me on US 51. The highway at that point is two lane 55 mph, and the traffic does every bit of that limit. Last week Tuesday a lady in a new white Ford Escape, for some unknown reason, pulled out to pass and ran head on into the tractor of a WalMart semi going in the opposite direction. Not a glancing blow...head on. She hit with such force that the tractor's rear wheels were jarred loose. The Ford ended up on a hill side on the other side of the highway. It was not recognizable as any kind of motor vehicle. It took rescue personnel 45 minutes to cut her out of what was basically just a crumpled ball of plastic and metal. She was flown by Medivac helicopter to a regional medical center. The local fire chief was on the Rhinelander, WI TV station that afternoon standing next to what was left of that vehicle. He was very visibly shaken. He said "..if this doesn't make you a believer of air bags and seat belts I don't know what will...". You see, the driver was released from the hospital later that evening with basically nothing more than a broken left arm and a few bruises.
Paul