You choice, Russ.

</PC>Darwin had a theory about this...<PC>

That is just about the worst thing I've ever seen in my whole life.

Isn't that an automatically-retracting shoulder belt in the picture?

I think the picture is fake. What kind of a photographer would take and then publish such a picture?

Is this a photo of a real incident, or is it one of those pre-prom cautionary Public Service things?

Shocking, either way.

Where are their injuries, exactly? Are they hidden from view, or did they just pour fake blood all over themselves?

Going through a windshield head first will cause a thousand cuts, even with laminated safety glass. Ask any parent how much blood comes out of any head wound. Working on a wrecker you see stuff like this a lot, especially on prom nights.

So, where'd you find the pic? I know stuff like this happens <i>all the time</i>, but now I'm just curious about the picture itself.

Definately fake. As pointed out, those are automatic seat belts. The only way to make them "not work" is to unhook them where they attach to the door frame. If that had actually happened, you wouldn't see the belt, just the piece it attaches to.

If it were real, the only possible way for it to be that way would if they climed in the car, shut the door, ducked under the seatbelt intentionally, and left it attached to the door fastner. Why on earth anyone would do that is beyond me, because you'd have to stretch the belt out far enough so it was pressed behind you, and then ran up the side of the door. While it was doing so, it would be basicly pushing you foreward, or rubbing on your arm.

Somehow I really doubt they'd go to all the trouble just to avoid wearing their seatbelt.

[edit]
Plus, the head wound. For the size of those two wounds on that guys's forehead, he'd have a TON more blood on his face. I was in a wreck where my forehead struck the mirror and cut aboutn an inch open above my eyebrow. I bled a ton, soaked my whole face and hair. With the size of those "cuts" on his head, there's no way he'd just have a dab of red on his suit. It'd be crimson and black, not white and black.
[/edit]

Quzah.

The picture came from consumptionjunction.com which is not safe for work.
Actually there are a number of ways around the seat belt issue and have all been used to save prom dresses from wrinkles and dirt.
Given the severity of the damage it would probably not have returned to the position in the picture if it had been in the in use position whether the belt was around or behind her. So the picture was staged or the belt was disabled. Or neither. Or both.
Anywho...I believe it's a legitimate illustration of the consequences of not using belts. Got your attention, didn't it. Hope it got Russoto's:eek:

Ok, let me see if I understand you, 'cause I think I may be getting the wrong idea here. Do you agree with the following suppositions?
<blockquote>A) <i>Lies are okay as long as the point you're trying to drive home is noble.</i>
B) <i>Shock Propaganda is okay as long as the end justifies the means.</i></blockquote>

What I'm saying is:
1- I don't know for sure if this picture was staged or not but it doesn't matter because it's depicting real events that I have personally witnessed.
2- It's not shock propaganda to accurately depict the consequences of actions, i.e. my 14 year old sister was killed in such a manner.

So what exactly <I>is</I> shock propaganda?

Would you consider anti-abortionists showing mangled, dead fetuses shock propaganda?

Personally? It's a usually semi-accurate portrayal of a small part of a larger complex issue. Anti-abortionists, PETA and the Bush administration use them often. We could go on endlessly on semantics. If you feel the picture I posted is shock propaganda, fine. It doesn't shock me because I've seen the real deal too many times and there's no need for propaganda on something that's so simple. If you crash without a seat belt you'll probably get hurt.:)