Final answer:
Safety belts are crucial for safety regardless of the trip length, and not wearing them can lead to serious injuries or become a societal burden. Hence, seat belts are equally important on short trips as they are on long ones.
Step-by-step explanation:
False: Safety belts are necessary for both long and short trips. When traveling in an automobile, regardless of the distance, wearing a seat belt is essential for the safety of the occupants. The misconception that seat belts are only needed for long journeys is a dangerous one as most accidents occur close to home on short trips.
Government enacts seat belt laws to reduce the number of accidents where drivers are injured and become a burden on society in terms of medical and physical care. These laws serve to protect individuals, even those who may underestimate the risks of not wearing a seat belt, and also reduce the economic cost to society resulting from automobile accidents.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of each individual to wear their seat belt at all times while driving or riding in a vehicle; doing so protects not only the individual but also the wider community from the consequences of road accidents and their aftermath.