Mandatory Seat Belt Laws, When Will We Stop Legislating Personal Choice?
I'm honestly surprised that this topic hasn't inspired more controversy. I've gotten into this debate with several people (once this week, oddly enough) and trust me...people are quite opinionated on this issue.
As a live-and-let-live Libertarian, I find laws like the mandatory seat belt laws offensive. Do they infringe on my personal liberty? You bet, and I don't care for it.
I wish the author had expanded further on the topic, but he did bring up some valid points. One I hadn't considered is even the possibility of rewarding people for wearing seat belts instead of penalizing them for failing to do so. I assume it's because this hasn't come up in my debates, and I've never heard of it anywhere else.
The author is correct that both reward and penalty work on the same premise...that wearing seat belts is somehow 'right' and will be rewarded...either with a hypothetical check or other benefit, or with freedom from jail time and/or fines.
Seat belt laws have become a real nuisance, for no real reason. Most people I know either wear seat belts or they don't. We're all fully aware of the penalties of not wearing a seat belt, and we still feel the need to make our own decision, regardless of the consequences.
If I wasn't wearing my seat belt while riding in someone else's vehicle and we got into an accident...I would expect my family to be intelligent enough not to sue that person for my chosen stupidity. I believe in taking responsibility for one's own actions. Apparently this is unheard of in such a litigious society...
I will never purchase an automobile that forces me to put my seat belt on for myriad reasons. If it has sensors in other seats that forces the use of seat belts before I can start the car, how on earth would I put my shopping purchases in the vehicle? Even having to make sure that my seat belt is done up before I can turn the key in the ignition is way too much control that I didn't invite into my life.
Quite honestly, if I'm too dense to consider whether or not I want to wear a seat belt, why should I have a license to drive a several-ton vehicle?
The government is starting to spend way too much time making laws to curb behavior. Regardless of whether that behavior is dangerous to that person, playing nanny to an entire country is beyond ludicrous.
In a justice system that is already underfunded, overcrowded, and quite incapable, I hardly think we need to be dragging more people into court over minor offenses like not wearing your seat belt. For that reason, I also oppose the anti-smoking kick that everyone seems to want to be on now 'for our health'. If I choose to smoke in a bar, I should be able to do it. I enjoy having the ability to smoke in restaurants, and when I was a non-smoker (until I was 25), I very rarely had problems in the non-smoking section of restaurants. I am, admittedly, the conscientious smoker who stares at parents who drag their children into the smoking section because I won't light up around them, but that's my decision and I don't go over to their table and tell them to leave, shame them about placing their children in the smoking section, or anything to that effect. They make their choice, I make mine. It's really quite simple when you don't assume that people are too stupid to care for themselves and need constant monitoring.
I think we've seen the consequences of that. People are killing and injuring themselves in increasingly unique ways because they assume they'll be protected from every little thing. After all, there's a reason we had to start putting warnings on strollers so that people wouldn't fold babies up inside them. People no longer feel the need to think for themselves, and I think the consequences of that far outweigh any other consequences (real or hypothetical) that we may be talking about here.
I'm rather amazed that they haven't done something to punish people who eat fast food at this point. I'd be willing to bet that it's because most people eat fast food, and therefore we can't single out a group of people for less-than-desirable behavior. There is more hindrance than benefit at this point to making laws to that effect.
Have no fear though, eventually someone will find a way to profit off of it, and then you can kiss your Big Mac goodbye.
Published by Liz Copeland
I'm a freelance writer, DMC mentor, and artisan-level embroiderer. I knit, crochet, sew, quilt, and spin my own yarn as well. I'm an instructor for embroidery and other fiber and textile related crafts. View profile
Shiraz: Fasten Your Seat Belt and Enjoy the RideDescription of the Shiraz, formerly called Syrah variety of red wine
A Buick and a Brainstorm: Seat Belt Bags Offer Unique Purse Alternative The "Original Seatbelt Bag" is created by Harveys Industries, started by a California husband and wife team, Dana and Melanie Harvey. - How to Buy the Right Car Seat for Your NewbornA car seat is one of the most important things you will buy for your newborn baby. Finding the safest and most comfortable car seat for your child is more important then the style or brand of the car seat.
- The Car Seat DecisionThe NHTSA states that 80% of seats are installed and/or used improperly. This is a result of choosing the wrong car seat for your family in most cases. Help with choosing the best car seat and proper use are the focus.
Installing and Using a Child Car Safety Seat CorrectlyMany child car safety seats are installed and used incorrectly, causing them to fail in a crash. Take a few minutes to check out your seat, to make sure your child is safe.
- "Click it or Ticket" Seat Belt Campaign Nabs 9,300 Violators in Minnesota
- Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Save Lives
- Mandatory Seat Belt Laws; An Unrestrained Opinion on Restraints
- Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Violate Personal Liberty
- Seat Belt Laws
- Tips to Ensure Seat Belt Safety
- Mandatory Seatbelt Laws: Seat Belt Enforcement and Effectiveness
- Mandatory Seat Belt Laws are part of a bigger problem.
- Our justice system shouldn't have to handle this kind of influx.
- If we keep allowing these laws, eventually they're going to frown on something we DO like or do.
14 Comments
Post a CommentSeat belts definitely save lives so stop crying and wear it
oh, cry me a river. wear your seatbelt and stop whining about it.
While there is no doubt that personal choice certainly figures into this there is another aspect that has recieved very little, if any, attention; which is whether or not the seatbelt can actually cause harm, and if so would the state be held liable? When it comes to the audacity of politicians nothing surprises me, however I think that even they might have a hard time swallowing the idea that the seatbelt is the only mechanical device in the world that operates the way it should 100% of the time and in all situations. That being said unless someone is going to be completely unreasonable they would be compelled to admit that the device may at some time cause harm, even death. I know from a personal experience that they can. With this in mind, any legislation passed within this context, condems someone to injury or death. Would anyone outside of the fringe advocate that legislation be passed that requires those who are at risk for colon, or breast cancer undergo a surgery that remo
To put it simply, Seat belts should not be made mandatory. End of subject. It does infringe on our rights as Americans and as people.
Same goes for smoking. Personally I do not smoke, but forcing others to not be able to is wrong. People should not be told what to do by out government.
I thought that they Government was for the poeple, but it was also by the people. If the people keep losing individual rights, who will run who?
Hell yeah, love the article.
First as it was mentioned, you actually make the society pay if you have an accident,
you also think you're only harming yourself, but if you have severe corporal damages, your family will have to take care of you, they simply cannot refuse, so somehow you're taking your own family in hostage. Third, if you don't wear your seatbelt and you're sitting in the back of a car, you will collapse on the front seats and kill the guy sitting there.
It keeps the brains off the streets. And what if young people stop wearing seatbelts around their friends to be "cool". It's not that hard to put on a seatbelt. I am all for people's rights, as I am a smoker and I think if a kid can go to war they should be able to have a drink too.
The Government did not make this law I will explain why they didn't just read on ok here is my take on seat belts the argument is always over money it is never about your safety let's think this out a bit, ask yourself who lobbied for seat belts to be mandatory? I will tell you it was Insurance companies (they have vast amounts of money and they want to keep it) why? Well let us say you were in a tragic car wreck and you body was ejected from the car and a semi runs you over but you live from looking at the accident it becomes aware that your car is pretty enacted and not even totaled but yet the insurance company now has to pick up all those medical bills, it would have been more cost efficient if you hadn't gotten tossed out of the vehicle and all they had to pay was the auto repairs to your vehicle. Now that's why the seat belt law was put into place, My problem is this why don't motor cycles have seat belts as well as buses and some other forms of transportation, I feel the insura
I do however have an opinion on the banning of smoking. NUMBER ONE, I am a smoker, NO I DO NOT SMOKE WITH MY CHILDREN AROUND, NO I DO NOT SIT IN THE SMOKING SECTIONS AT RESTUARANTS. I smoke outside of my house in MY OWN YARD, when my children are not there. I do feel that there should definetly be a law that protects children from smoke. I also feel that smoking on public streets and parks and such should not be alloweed. HOWEVER, If I choose to smoke in a bar, (and your children obviously should not be there!) I think I should have that right, as long as its contained in a smoking area. If an adult doesnt like it, they do NOT have to sit in that section or be around me. I am a very curteous smoker and do not infringe on the rights of non smokers, I just wish they would stop infringing on mine!
It seems funny to me that the comments so far are on one side or the other...no one in the middle. I personally do not have a problem with the seat belt law, BUT I find it ironic that motorcycle operators have the option on wearing a helmet?!? I think everything should be laid across the board, and as you said, everyone has to make their own choices about whether to abide or not. You arent really dragging people to court over it, you pay your ticket and move on.