DEAR ABBY: My late husband refused to wear a seat belt. One day a truck hit him. He was thrown around hard inside the car and spent a month in the hospital. An X-ray showed the back of his brain was mush. He was mentally disabled for the rest of his life and needed care 24/7. It was such a waste. He had been a teacher with a master's degree in education.
My grown children helped me to take care of him. They were heartbroken. This was a tragedy that could have been avoided. It happened only because he didn't take a few seconds to fasten his seat belt.
Please print this as a reminder to your readers, Abby. -- COMMON SENSE CALIFORNIAN
DEAR CALIFORNIAN: I am truly sorry for your family's pain. Too many people, drivers and passengers, choose to ignore the seat belt laws.
As your letter illustrates, they do so at their own peril. Every traveler, whether in the front or back seat, should buckle up. I'm glad you shared this because so many people are on the road during the holidays. I hope your family's tragic experience will give them the "nudge" they need.