Persuasive Speech Safe Driving Research Paper

Persuasive Speech on Safe Driving

Attention-getter: Every hour someone dies in crash simply from not buckling his or her seat belt, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Web site, 2002.
Reason to Listen: From 1982 to 1996, an estimated 3,300 lives were saved by the used of seat belt and child restraint systems, according to the Espine Organization’s Web site, 1997.
Credibility Statement: From the research I have completed for this speech, I have learned that seat belts do save lives, as well as, keep your from serious injuries.
Thesis Statement: When you are driving or even riding in a vehicle, buckling your seat belt will decrease your chance to death or serious injury, if you get in a serious accident.
Preview of Main Points:
First, I will present you with a problem that has dramatic results but could be dealt with quite easily.
Second, I will provide a possible solution to help reduce this problem.
Third, I will give a visualization of the problem seen through the positive and negative aspects.
Finally, I will tell you how as an individual can deal with the problem.

Transition: Let’s first begin by talking about some of the problems of not wearing your seat belt.
Not wearing your seat belt can result in death of serious harm.
Too many unnecessary looses of live occur each year for the simple reason—people just don’t wear seat belts.
According to an article in the Lincoln Journal Star in August 2002, Nebraska highway deaths are the highest in 21 years with a total of 195.
In 2001, about 3 of 4 people who died as a result of a highway accidents were not wearing seat belts.
In 2002, it is 4 of 5 people who died are not wearing seat belts.
The Nebraska Department of Roads report, 2001, noted that 38 percent of fatal accidents happened on local highways, 14.5 percent on the interstate, and 47.5 percent on county road systems.
The percent change of Nebraska traffic fatalities from 2001 to present on the interstate in 133%.
The percent change of Nebraska traffic fatalities from 2001 to present on highways in 25%.
The percent change of Nebraska traffic fatalities from 2001 to present on county roads is 55%.
There are many excuses people make about not wearing a seat belt, but in reality they are not justifiable.
One of those excuses is that seat belts are uncomfortable.
Many injuries or deaths occur when a person inside the car collides with the steering wheel, the dashboard, windshield, or even other passengers.
I have heard that this can be uncomfortable too.
Another excuse is it won’t happen to me; I am a good driver, but it happens to everyone.
Transition: Now that I have talked about the problems of not wearing your seat belt, and I would like to continue with a solution to these problems.
There is only one main solution to the problem; wear your seat belt.
This solution could be reached through several different ways.
The first step was in 1966, when Congress passed the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
The second step is to get the state or federal government to make people wear seat belts by passing laws requiring it.
Nebraska’s laws in that drivers and front-seat passengers must use seat belt systems worn properly, adjusted, and fastened, according the Nebraska DMV, 2002.
This law is only s secondary low, which means the driver, is cited for his violation only if cited or charged with an additional violation or some other offense.
Violation results in a $25 fine addition to court costs.
So the government needs to make the seat belt law a primary law, which means that if a police officer observes you not wearing a seat belt, they can give you a ticket.
In 2001, seat belt usage rate was 70.2
percent.
If Nebraska reached 75 percent usage, it would result in 10 lives, 255 injuries prevented, and over $18 million savings, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Transition: Now I would like to continue with some of the benefits you may experience from wearing your seat belt.
There are many benefits to wearing your seat belt.
Wearing your seat belt keeps you inside your vehicle.
You are 25 times more likely to be killed or injured if you’re thrown from the car, according to Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Web site, March 2000.
If you are thrown “free” you may be thrown into the path of your own if it rolls over, traffic, or at tree, guardrail, telephone pole, or other object.
Wearing your seat belt will save you from injury or death.
Seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat passengers car occupants by 45 percent, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Seat belts saved 4,305 teenager drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents between 1995-2002, according to article in the Lincoln Journal Star in July 2002.
Nebraska and United States seat belt usage rate are increasing.
According to Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, 2000, in 1985 the seat belt rate in Nebraska was 45%; and in 2000, the rate was 71%.
According to Nebraska Office of Highway Safety, 2000 in 1985 the seat belt rate in the United States was 21%, and in 2000, the rate was
71%.

Transition: Wearing your seat belt will reduce the risks of bodily injury.
Seat belts are very important to drivers and passengers of a vehicle.
If you get in a serious accident, buckling your seat belt will decrease your chance of death or serious injury, whether you are driving or riding as a passenger.
Seat belt are estimated to save 9,500 lives in America each year, according to Espine Organization’s Web site, 1997.
Today, I have talked about some of the problems of not wearing your seat belt causes, a solution to the problem to reduce deaths and injuries, some benefits of wearing your seat belt, and why seat belts are so important.
Next time you get into vehicle, remember that odds are you’ll be in bad crash at least once in your life, seat belts more than double the chance of surviving a bad crash, and it only takes about 3 seconds to buckle up.