LATEST: 3 DOORS DOWN rocker Brad Arnold would have been killed in a horrific car crash earlier this month (FEB06) had he not been wearing a seatbelt - according to his bandmate TODD HARRELL.

The KRYPTONITE singer was in the car driven by his wife TERIKA when it span out of control on a wet road near his home in Mississippi.

Terika reportedly escaped without injury, but Brad, who had to have his ear sewn back on, "Would be dead now," had he not strapped himself safely into his seat.

Harrell says, "They were coming back from a casino, hit some kind of water on the road. The car hydroplaned, went down a high embankment and they hit a tree.

"I guess if Brad hadn't been wearing his seat belt, he'd probably be dead now.

"He's going to be all right. He was hit hard, though."