This may sound kind of obscure, but while I was driving today, I started thinking about seatbelt laws. I’m pretty much a libertarian, and I am completely against the government telling me, or other people what to do in our personal lives, yet I’ve never been offended by seatbelt laws. I don’t use any drugs, but I whole-heartedly believe that the government shouldn’t be able to tell me if I can legally or not. Sure, regulate it, but if I want to use heroin, that’s my business (don’t attack me for this; it’s not what my blog is about).
Anyway, I’ve always known that it’s the law to wear a seatbelt, but I’ve never thought anything of it. It’s safe, and I always do. But really, what business is it of the government’s that people should protect their own safety? I’m not saying that I disagree with seatbelt laws; I’m just saying that I question them. I’m not really sure where I stand. I guess I’d say that after thinking about it, I think that it should be illegal for children to go seatbeltless, and maybe the government should have PSAs and officially recommend seatbelts, and even mandate that cars for sale have proper seatbelts, but maybe give people the option to legally drive at their own risk.
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I agree. I think children definetly should be made to wear seatbelts, but everyone over the age of 18 shouldn't have to. Recommended, yes, have to, no. I actually know personally a girl who was in a car wreck, did not have her seatbelt on, and came out relatively unscatched. The experts said that if she had been wearing her seatbelt, she would have had about a 90-99% chance of dying from strangulation. Obviously, its the exception rather than the rule, but it does happen.
Stormy
Stormy, I think I agree. Eighteen year olds are old enough to be responsible for themselves (mostly anyway; I know a few who are, well, careless about what they do). If they want to risk not having the seatbelt, that's their business.
As for children-yes, by all means wear seatbelts. Especially smaller children...being smaller myself (not even five foot and am almost into college!) I always felt safer with the seatbelt when the car was moving. But a question-do carseats play a role in this?
Are there carseat laws?
"I think, therefore I am." -Rene Descartes
There are carseat laws, and strict regulations based on age and height and weight which affect where someone is allowed to sit in the car.
in addition to carseat laws, there are some hospitals that will not let you leave with your newborn unless you can prove you have a proper carseat for it.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/sawaboof
"...There is a crushing guilt that comes with being a Catholic. Whether things are good or bad or you're simply... eating tacos in the park, there is always the crushing guilt."
-30 Rock-
I agree with you. It's your life and you should decide how you do things...but seatbelts have saved the lives of a few of my friends in the past. Personally my decision is to wear it.
One could argue (and I'm not sure I want to, but still) that the function of the government is to serve the people, which includes protecting them not only from outside threats but from themselves. On issues where an actual choice can logically be made the government should, as you suggested, provide PSAs and similar services, but on something like wearing a seatbelt when failing to comply is putting yourself needlessly at risk, I think the point should ideally be moot.
"What was never given utterance eventually becomes too nebulous to recall."
~ Jane Smiley
I agree completely. People under the age of 18 should be forced to wear seatbelts but then it shouldnt be a law. Granted it saves live but you should be mature enough to not drive recklessly.