IML: Imperial safety - Today and Yesteryear...

Ok, now then, the one input you all have been wringing your hands about, awaiting anxiously, or dreading…mine.

I have owned 3 Imperials over the last 11 Years. After I acquired my first, the ’63 Custom 4dr Southampton, I sold my ’87 Chrysler LeBaron, which technically is Imperial related, at least genetically, and more directly through the Bastardized use of the LeBaron model name. All with the exception of my current ’66 Crown Convertible Coupe – Doris to her adoring fans, have been involved in an accident, or incident that involved the use of, or lack thereof of seatbelts. This (essay?) will describe the benefits of, as well as the long term effect of, and consequences of either wearing by law, or CHOICE not to wear seatbelts in any one given car. I will go in chronological order.

1. 1987 Chrysler LeBaron Coupe – Every option available except overhead console, and obvious lack of convertible top. This car was equipped with not only 3 point safety belts, but passive ones at that. The shoulder strap was connected to each of the two doors, in the lower left if I recall so as to have the effect of when you got in and closed the door your shoulder restraint was already in place. You still had to manually pull over and connect the lap portion, which, arguably, is of the most and highest benefit. I did receive lower insurance rates for this item in its day for having passive restraints. It should be mentioned for those whose blood pressure is currently rising over the idea that this was passive and therefore your personal choice had been removed by corporate America that one could unhook the shoulder strap if need be, but for the need to do some sort of work on the car, or to access something within the vehicle by leaning in, there (in my own mind, which of course is of a purely different, complex and extremely NON-Imperial related topic) was no need for. You could always contort yourself to get under and past the belt to lean into the car.

On 6/6/02 while driving in fairly low speed 4 lane traffic in a mall area setting, which is by it’s very nature, busy, erratic, and poses one of the most unpredictable scenarios for sudden and unexpected appearance of vehicles to which one must be aware of, and their actions and behavior. I was leaving the mall area heading eastbound and just pulling into a left turn lane with a dedicated left turn green arrow, and not going any faster than 20 mph at that moment since I was already slowing to stop at the light, when suddenly a K-5 Cubby Blazer making a right turn westbound onto Northgate way, after failing to make a complete stop as required by law when turning right on a red light, (Note here: there had been light rainfall about 20 minutes earlier, and the blvd is 2 lanes each way with a dedicated turn lane in the center for left or right turns into various strip mall shopping parks) the kid driving the Blazer did as kids are wont to do, he punched it to squeal out making the turn. With the wet pavement, and all other elements involved he spun out, lost control, flew across two lanes of traffic and hit me head on from the left (my left front) corner inward. I of course saw the burnout attempt, and loss of control, and the rather large Blazer heading strait at me. Upon impact I was in the position of being completely rigid, standing on the brakes with my back pushed into the seatback while trying to turn my car to the right to avoid the imminent collision. I remember the impact, and moving forward in the now stopped vehicle, but was held back, very forcefully, by the now locked shoulder strap. I remember my collar bone taking the brunt of the seatbelts restraining action, keeping me from hitting the steering column or worse yet, dash, or windshield.

The kid jumped out of the virtually unscathed Blazer, and started yelling ‘OH, MY GOD, IT WAS COMPLETELY MY FAULT, ARE YOU OK?” in front of witnesses, thankfully. I was dazed, my door stuck for a moment until I put my shoulder into it and it popped open. I could not see forward well due to my hood being for all intrinsic purposes now a rock shield for my windshield. I thought I was fine, filled out the police report, had the car towed directly to a known reputable body shop, and was driven home by the attending officer at the scene. Within a week though I was in terrible pain, could not stand for long periods in one place, could not lie comfortably, and had pain in my neck, shoulder, and down the left side of my back along the spine.

I sued, won, got a huge settlement, but to this day have neck problems, which I have to have surgery on at least once a year (surgery only because they put me under) where they “Shotgun approach” inject Cortisone into my C-4 to C-7 Cervical area, which stops the pain for several months until it returns and I can no longer look, comfortably to the left. Without any doubt whatsoever, that shoulder restraint not only caused the neck injury, but kept me firmly in place, and prevented much more serious injuries had I struck the wheel, dash, windshield, even with lap belt on.

2. (And much shorter) In my ’63 Imperial I was in traffic, stop & go, on 10/5/05, when the car in front of me hit the brakes, I hit mine, stopped well short of the vehicle in front of me, and just as my cars rear was dropping back into place after the sudden stop, I heard “SCREEEEEECH” and still had time to turn my wheel to the left, and let off the brake before the car hit me from behind. I heard glass, hissing, and pieces settling to the ground all around. I was fine, got out, pissed to no end that surely my tail lights had been broken, to see a totaled Isuzu I-Mark sans bumper, and punctured radiator fluid pouring onto the pavement, hood buckled into rock shield for windshield position. My ’63 was unscathed but not for two small scratches on my bumper from where her car’s collapsible bumper had something come thru the outer shell and scratch mine. I made her insurance re-chrome my bumper though, just ‘cause I could. Sued, got a huge settlement, etc... The ’63 was equipped with seatbelts (two fronts, two rears) from the dealer, but the owner had removed them, but I had them re-installed. As this was a rear ender, they served no real benefit, whereas head restraints would have been much more useful. I suffered aggravated re-injury to my ’92 neck/shoulder/back issues.

3. While driving my ’60 Crown Convertible Coupe on I-5 at 70 miles per hour, top down, car NOT equipped with seat belts, and I did not install them, my front left tire shredded itself, causing much flying debris, which not only did damage to the wheel well, my left eye, but had the effect of pulling the car over two lanes, while I slid across the seat toward the passenger side due to not having been held in place by lap belts (the one day I had the arm rest in the upright position!), had I not grabbed the steering wheel with my left hand and pulled with all my might, things could have been much worse. I did not hit any one, but much swerving by cars in the immediate vicinity occurred to avoid collision. I had lost my brakes due to tire debris somehow, and had to use the driveline parking brake to get the car off the freeway and to a stop for AAA to come get us.

Seatbelts are not the bureaucratic idle-while conception of some poor bastard within the Federal government to f**k with the auto industry, and the nation’s populace, but are indeed designed for and intended for the life saving benefit of said populace. If your car has them, most, if not all states require the use of them. If your car is pre-1966 and was not optioned with them, you are by no means required to install them as your car is Grandfathered, and exempt. Installation of the proper belts for your car, in the proper color, with the proper buckle that whatever make of car you drive used at the time, is in your best interest, and for you benefit. You do, as stated in previous posts have the choice not to use them, but as has also been said, your choice NOT to use them via self-righteous indignation should not, and could/should maybe by law have the effect that no one, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, other involved parties insurance be responsible for your own, in effect, self inflicted injuries. The law could be passed, but not the removal of Medicare, or Medicaid since those are public assistance programs to help indigent folks who are physically destroyed, or brain dead, or for whatever reason receive the required care necessary to sustain some sort of existence, if even just a nursing home for those who are in a coma from flying thru the windshield, or injuries sustained via any other venue due to lack of seatbelt use.

Like my parents said: “You can do anything you want in this life, including commit murder should you so choose, as long as you are willing to live with, or pay the consequences of your choices/actions. Think through what, or how your choices/actions will ultimately affect your life and the lives of others before taking any action of great importance.” To me, at least, seatbelt use is one of those choices and after the ’60 Crown vert incident, I choose to use seatbelts in any car I own, original equipment, dealer installed, sans seatbelts, or otherwise will have fully operable, maintained in good working order seatbelts. To operate a any car without them, to me, is just as ill thought out as would be removing your brake lights because you don’t like the draw on the electrical system.

I hope everyone has a great Friday (try to leave early!) and an Imperial weekend enjoying your favorite Marque.

From the original Public Service Commercials of the 60’s – “Buckle up for safety, buckle up!” sung by chipper young people to a snappy little tune.

Wm. R. Ulman

’66 Crown Convertible Coupe – Doris Day – WA State vanity plates: FIT4AQN

’95 Buick Roadmaster Sedan – Rock Hudson – WA State vanity plates: FIT4KNG (FT4AKNG just did not look right, please pardon my inconsistancy)

Seattle, WA

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