Some people treat riding in a taxi, Lyft, or Uber differently than riding in a friend's car or getting behind the wheel of their own car, and do not wear a seat belt. However, failure to wear a seat belt could limit your chance to recover damages or reduce your damage award. Failure to wear a seat belt can be an affirmative defense in a car accident claim. The driver who caused the accident can claim you were negligent because you did not wear a seatbelt and the injuries caused by the accident would have been avoided or less severe if you had worn a seat belt.