Airbags: put your money where your mouth is
By: John F. Urban
Date: 1997-09-09
John F. Urban is Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP) Coordinator, University of Delaware, USA. E-Mail JURBAN@UDel.edu
This statement has always been the litmus test used to see how much people really believe what they are saying. At least one automobile insurance company has done just that!
United Services Insurance Company of San Antonio Texas believes so much in seat belts and air bags in automobiles, that they provide a $15,000 death benefit for those who die in an automobile crash and are properly seat belted, and an additional $10,000 death benefit for those riding in an air bag protected seat. These benefits are provided to their policy holders at no additional charge.
There has been much controversy over the effectiveness of air bags and seat belts during a car crash. The bottom line is that seat belts and air bags have been shown to be unbelievably effective in preventing deaths and in reducing the severity of injury in a crash. Unfortunately, young children have been killed by air bags while seated in the right front seat, and the air bags appear to pose an increased risk to small stature adults riding too close to the air bag when it deploys. Like all improvements, these safety devices have limitations. However, to anyone who would care to examine the FACTS with an open mind, there can be only one result.
Seat Belts Save Lives!
Air Bags and Seat Belts Together Save MORE Lives!
This insurance company believes it so much that they are providing what is
essentially a free $25,000 life insurance policy to all their customers. Have
you priced life insurance lately? This is not a minor benefit and is well beyond
the key chain, toaster, or radio give-away we so often hear about. This company
is in the business of defining risks and their benefits. As all of us know,
no one gives things away for nothing, so this benefit begs the question, What's
in it for them? The answer is there for all those who care to look.
When we are killed in a crash, insurance claims are staggering. Costs to an insurance company include claims up to full policy limits, burial costs in some states, administrative costs for policies, and additional claim costs as crash details define. Also, the policy holder is no longer around to pay future insurance bills. The same is true for injury costs. In a severe crash medical costs alone can easily exceed $500,000. Anything that reduces or eliminates these costs is a plus for the insurance company, and air bags and seat belts have PROVEN to do this. There is an additional provision that may also contribute to this reduction in cost. A person who consistently buckles up and who buys a car with air bags makes an indirect statement about his or her level of personal responsibility.
Although I cannot prove this, I suspect the insurance companies can support this hypothesis by statistics. It would follow that this type of driver would be more likely to follow the traffic laws, and could be thought to be a more careful driver. Since none of us can predict when a serious crash will occur, evidence of this less risky behavior (wearing a seat belt in a seat possessing an air bag) would be seen, even in a crash which took the individual's life. Since the insured's behavior reduced the overall risk to the company, a dividend in the form of a free life insurance policy was provided.
Not all insurers are as enlightened as this one, but at least this firm is moving in the right direction. Find out if your company offers the same benefit. If it does, thank them. If it does not, ask why and press them for better treatment.
In either case, rest assured that belts and bags do work, they do save lives, and they do reduce the seriousness of injury. Buckle up every time you ride in a car. Do not disconnect or depower your air bags in your car, and be cautious of riding in a vehicle where they have been modified. Finally, buckle all kids up IN THE BACK SEAT. Take advantage of these devices--every time you are in a vehicle whether you get the free insurance policy or not.
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