10 years after ticket saved her life, crash survivor keeps up crusade for seatbelt use
What’s the first thing you do when getting set to drive? Do you plug in your phone, set up directions, fiddle with the music system?
Buckling your seat belt should be first on the list, but a Hughson car crash survivor said she knows it’s not a top priority for many people.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 51% of all passengers who were killed in crashes in 2020 were not wearing a seat belt. “Seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing seat belts, in 2017 alone,” the report said.
Just Monday morning, in talking about the eighth fatal crash his office has investigated this year, California Highway Patrol Modesto office spokesman Officer Tom Olsen said half have involved drivers who weren’t buckled.
Test your knowledge of seat belt myths on the NHTSA website. Hint: Air bags are not a substitute for buckling up and won’t brace you in the same way. It’s the bags that are supplemental, not the seat belt.
There are many misconceptions about the importance of wearing your seat belt, according to a Michigan State Police webpage. Some of the flawed thinking the page addresses are “I want to be thrown clear of a crash” and “I don’t want to be trapped underwater or in a fire.” According to Michigan State Police, there is a very low chance either of these things will happen, but there is a large chance that wearing a seat belt can protect you and keep you conscious. Also, its page says, “The idea of being thrown from a car and gently landing in a grassy area beside the road is pure fantasy.”
If you’re not wearing a seat belt because you “aren’t going very far or driving fast,” keep in mind that your safety also hinges on that of other drivers.
This is what happened to Megann Scott.
Ten years ago, Scott was issued a ticket for not wearing her seat belt. The $346 fee bothered her so much that she wore the restraint out of spite, and it saved her life.
Just five days later, on Feb. 27, 2013, she was in a near-fatal collision. She was driving about 55 mph on Santa Fe Avenue when another driver pulled in front of her from Berkeley Road and their vehicles collided.
Scott’s rolled twice, and injuries landed her in a hospital for five days. At least part of that time was in the neuro intensive care unit for a back injury. She remained conscious after the crash, Scott told The Bee for a 2017 article, and “I immediately knew there was no way I would have survived without my seat belt.”
She credits her survival to Turlock police Officer Joseph Dusel for pulling her over and giving her a reason to buckle up. For a decade, Scott and her family have made a tradition of visiting Dusel at the police station and sharing life updates with each other.
Monday was the 10-year anniversary of Scott’s family honoring Dusel for giving Megann the lifesaving ticket.
Scott, parents Monika and John Heilman and brother Michael met with Dusel in the Turlock Police Department’s lobby around 9 a.m., with pastries and a thank-you card.
Dusel isn’t the only one their family honors, Megann’s mom, Monika Heilman said. The Hughson Fire Department and a private citizen, Mike Assali, were also instrumental helping Scott on the morning of her accident.
“Sometimes it feels like yesterday, sometimes it feels like 30 years ago,” Scott said. Monday’s cold weather in Turlock made her very aware of her old injuries.
Scott started the nonprofit “Buckled in Blessings,” dedicated to offering financial support for people hurt in car crashes. The organization was started last year, after Scott decided to honor her 10-year survival anniversary.
Buckled in Blessings (www.buckledinblessings.org) will cover expenses for people unable to work while they recover from vehicle crashes. Those who apply for assistance must meet certain criteria to qualify, such as providing proof they were not under the influence and wore their seat belt, Scott said.
“There are local families who I know are struggling with the same thing I did,” Scott said. “GoFundMe is popular, but sometimes pride is a barrier.” Buckled in Blessings is her way of helping people in this situation.
She was a waitress before her accident, and heavily relied on tips to pay the bills. Disability benefits at the time provided $73 a week. Megann was able to rely on support from her immediate family and their community while recovering from her accident.
She offers a safety-minded parting thought. “The correct way to wear a seat belt is across the chest and hips,” Dusel said. Remember, you can still be pulled over for wearing a restraint improperly.
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 12:53 PM.
