Seatbelts
I Don’t like to wear seatbelts. They make me feel uncomfortable and I don’t think that they are as safe as every body lets on. Now Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying seatbelts haven’t saved lives and I’m not saying that you shouldn’t wear a seatbelt. It is the law and we all are good law abiding citizens right? But do you think that it should be the law? It’s my personal opinion that the seatbelt laws are designed to give officers the ability to pull someone over in violation if there is no other reason than so called probable cause. I base this on the fact that I have been pulled over on several occasions and received no citation for violating this “law”.
In 2004 in the United States there were 31,693 passenger vehicle deaths. Of those 17,575 were unrestrained (meaning they were not wearing seatbelts). That is roughly 55%. On the flipside of this statistic that means that the other 45% (roughly because there is a slight percentage of reported accidents where it can not be known meaning they didn’t have a chance any way) were wearing seatbelts. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says, "Safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45%”. Seatbelt use is only 45% (less than 50%) affective. If about half of our fatalities in a year occur even with the occupants of the vehicle wearing seatbelts I don’t think that is grounds to make a law. After all seatbelt use is only a contributing factor. The mitigating factor in most passenger vehicle fatalities is reckless/drunken driving.
Now when I get into someone else’s car and they ask me to buckle up I do so out of respect for that individual. It is my own prerogative, however if I choose not to wear one in my own car and the law should have no say.
*statistics cited were retained from the following site
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2005/809897.pdf
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/ncsa/TSF2004/809909.pdf
In 2004 in the United States there were 31,693 passenger vehicle deaths. Of those 17,575 were unrestrained (meaning they were not wearing seatbelts). That is roughly 55%. On the flipside of this statistic that means that the other 45% (roughly because there is a slight percentage of reported accidents where it can not be known meaning they didn’t have a chance any way) were wearing seatbelts. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says, "Safety belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45%”. Seatbelt use is only 45% (less than 50%) affective. If about half of our fatalities in a year occur even with the occupants of the vehicle wearing seatbelts I don’t think that is grounds to make a law. After all seatbelt use is only a contributing factor. The mitigating factor in most passenger vehicle fatalities is reckless/drunken driving.
Now when I get into someone else’s car and they ask me to buckle up I do so out of respect for that individual. It is my own prerogative, however if I choose not to wear one in my own car and the law should have no say.
*statistics cited were retained from the following site
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/RNotes/2005/809897.pdf
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/ncsa/TSF2004/809909.pdf