by 
The Curious Bag
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About 40,000 people die in traffic accidents each year in the United States. Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among people younger than 35 years old. Wearing a seat belt helps prevent serious injuries and death.
Function
In a collision, a car stops in the first tenth of a second. However, the occupants' bodies keep moving at the same speed the vehicle was traveling until they either hit the car's interior or are thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts prevent this "second collision," according to Oklahoma State University.
Effects
After a crash, unbelted survivors of automobile crashes stay in the hospital three to five times longer than passengers who were wearing seat belts, and their medical costs are two to five times higher, according to the NHTSA.
Significance
Surveys by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that as seat belt use has increased since 1994, the percentage of deaths of unbelted passengers in daytime accidents has decreased.
Considerations
About 80 percent of all fatal car accidents occur within 25 miles of the victim's home and at speeds of less than 40 miles per hour.
Prevention
Airbags increase the effectiveness of seat belts but are not intended to be a vehicle's sole safety feature. When worn properly, both parts of the seat belt fit snugly over the strong bones of the hip and chest.
Source:
NHTSA: National Occupant Protection Use Surveys
Oklahoma State University: Seatbelts: Why You Should Use Them
University of Alabama at Birmingham: The Benefits of Buckling Up: Seat Belts Save Lives
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