Views On Car Seatbelts

Rob Wootten · #1 11-09-2003, 03:49 PM

Last night, I caught a short glimpse of a tv show on car safety - in particular, seatbelts. What amazed me was the absolute ignorance of some interviewees on there - one guy from the US actually stated that 'many of us Americans choose not to use seatbelts' whilst talking about how seatbelt-wearing isnt compulsory in many countries. He also said that he STOPPED wearing a seatbelt when there as a local safety-drive on seatbelts. As I missed part of it, I was unable to actually grasp what the laws on seatbelts are in America?

Over here, it's an offence not to wear your seatbelt if there is one available (which there is in almost every car on Britain's roads, less a few old models). If I had to drive a car without one, I'd feel lost. Having been driving for a few months now, I know there are some crazy people out there on the roads yet on the whole, Britain has some of the safest roads in the world. How's the driving safety record where you live?

Kraken · #2 11-09-2003, 03:58 PM

If you chosse not to wear your seatbelt your ass gets pulled over in Louisiana. It's like that in other states as well, but I'm not sure about other areas. I always wear mine anyway.

MaGnUmKeLly · #3 11-09-2003, 04:02 PM

I make shure no matter what, anyone who rides with me in the front seat has there seatbelt on. For the sake i get pulled over. I guess there is pro's and con's on the seatbelt issue.

edh101985 · #4 11-09-2003, 04:09 PM

Honestly, I dont see how their is any bad things about wearing a seatbelt. It saves your life if you get in a accident. And its not like it takes a while to do. Whats 2 extra seconds of your life when you can also die in 2 seconds from not having a seatbelt in a crash.

**Kyle L** · #5 11-09-2003, 04:10 PM

I wear mine all the time. Why not? It's not like it's that un-comfortable. Out here, in CA if you don't wear yours, you get busted. It's not worth paying extra money for your dumb mistake. A lot of people have dumb excuses why they don't. Like if they drove into a large portion of water, they wouldn't be able to get out of their seatbelts fast enough. Well, you can hold your breath for a longer time than you can think, and it's fast enough to pop it off when you need to get somewhere anyway. They say the same thing about car fires too, just get out. It takes like a second to slap it out of the way and unbuckle.

Yeah, I allways wear mine. There really isn't a logical reason why you shouldn't.

General Public · #6 11-09-2003, 04:43 PM

I'm pretty sure all states have some law mandating that everyone in the front seat (at least) must wear one.

I feel naked driving around without it.

birdie311 · #7 11-09-2003, 04:43 PM

Don't worry Rob, the majority of us here in the US choose to wear our seatbelts. It amazes me when I see people w/o them. It takes less than a second to put it on, and it saves your life. Sounds like a good deal to me. People also say it's restricting. Restricting from what? It's not like you're supposed to be jumping around in your car.

Rob Wootten · #8 11-09-2003, 04:51 PM

Another thing someone said ont here was 'you don't hear about the people who die from WEARING the belt'. I mean, come on! If they weren't doing any good, I doubt there'd be so much money spent on campaigns supporting them. *remembers a really old British advert 'Clunk Click Every Trip'*

I think I'd actually bang into the gear stick on my car if I didnt have my seatbelt on - especially on dual carriageway roundabouts - especially if you get lost like I do and end up going round them twice!

**Byron** · #9 11-09-2003, 06:38 PM

If I'm not mistaken, there was a nationwide "Click it or ticket" campaign in the US a couple of months ago, meaning that it's illegal to not wear it in all states.

Diesel · #10 11-09-2003, 06:44 PM

I too always wear mine. However, the government mandating it is retarded. I predict by 2025, there will be a bill up in congress that will make it a law that everyone must wear a coat if the current temp is less than 50 degrees. Where will it stop?

By the way, to the best of my knowledge Idaho does not require drivers and front seat passengers to wear seatbelts (as of early 2001).

I did a thesis on how stricter safety belt laws lead to increased homicide rates. In reality it was a satire to explain why Gary, IN, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Detroit, MI all had higher murder rates per capita than Clayton, ID. I also suggested that the higher rate of citizens to Radio Shacks (defined as number of ID citizens/number of ID Radio Shacks) led to fewer murders, rapes, and even cases of auto-erotic asphyxiation.

LoCoSuMo · #11 11-09-2003, 07:53 PM

I don't see why there are laws for it. If you don't care if you die in a wreck, don't wear it. If you want to have a higher possibility of not going through the windshield, go ahead and wear it. No need to force people to live if they don't want to.

***Steven*** · #12 11-09-2003, 07:54 PM

Michigan just recently (within the past two years) to where they can actually pull you over just on the basis of not wearing a seatbelt. It used to be that they could only cite you if you were pulled over for another offense. My brother got one just on that basis when it went into effect.

But, I always wear mine (and have since I was an infant in a car seat)... it's automatic (to the point where I put it on within less than a second while shifting the car into gear). Otherwise, I feel naked without it in the car and I just have to put it on to feel better. So, people who say it takes too much time can go kiss it.

Magnum Robert · #13 11-09-2003, 07:57 PM

As a member of the vast right-wing conspiracy, I proudly support government regulation of seatbelts.

I am only alive today, because I took the 1.5 seconds to fasten the seatbelt.

I do support people's right not to use seatbelts. I view this as another means to weed out the gene pool.

**Phil** · #14 11-09-2003, 08:17 PM

I'm pretty sure all states say anyone in the front seat, or under 18 must wear a seatbelt at all times. I could never go without wearing one.

Anaconda · #15 11-09-2003, 09:17 PM

In Virginia its mandatory for drivers, front-seat passengers, and anyone in the backseat over the age of 16. I wear mine, but I know of incidents where people have been killed because of them. But I think the chances of dying without one are much greater-now airbags on the other hand...