Seat belt laws

[Alpo]

The friendly deputy thread got me thinking. I looked and found this page, and it is very confusing.

I was hoping that various law enforcement types could explain a few of these.

State Seat Belt Laws

Alabama, for example. The law applies to people 15 or older, in the front seat. So if I'm driving with my 11-year-old granddaughter, I have to be belted in, but she doesn't?

Now, some states have a very young minimum age. Florida is 6, Connecticut is 7. I presume that, in those states, if you are under that age, you are supposed to be in a child seat.

But California, Delaware, Indiana, and others, the belt law only applies to 16 or older? Maine is 18 or older?

I do wonder which state it was where Deputy Friendly was working. 16 states being SECONDARY OFFENSES, where driving without a seat belt is not a stoppable offense.

 

[nawilson]

State Child Passenger Safety Laws

Go to this link for the child seat laws.

 

[sureshotbob]

I can't say about the the other states but in Ct. you are correct under 7 the child is supposed to be in the rear seat in a child seat. As a rule they will not ticket you just for the seat belt but if your stopped for something else and your not wearing it they will add it to the ticket.
But all that said they do random road block check's for seat belt' and DWI's

 

[Mcwsky09]

I suspect that most such laws are the result of a single or perhaps a very small number of cases involving a child of a certain age.
Imagine a state with no seat belt law and a horific accident occurs where a 12 year old child is killed, the family launches a campaign to pass a law where anyone 12 and over must wear a seat belt.
A few year later another horrible accident occurs where a 6 year old is killed and we go around again and the changes to be 6 and up.
While I do think that everyone in a vehicle of any description and at any age should try to be as safe as possible and utilize the safety equipment available I do not think we need laws or fines for people choosing to risk their own lives by not wearing a seat belt.
But I suppose in the days of a lack of personal responsibility where tax payers bear the burden of paying for the consequences of other peoples stupid decisions maybe we need a way to incentivize folks to be safer than they would otherwise choose to be.

 

[zonker5]

A guy down here in Texas got a ticket for not using his belt. He took it to jury trial on the basis that there is nothing in the Bible saying you must wear a belt therefor Jesus must be against them, so he is too.

He also claimed that as belts are not included in the Constitution, Thomas Jefferson was also against them.

He lost, but is going to appeal.

 

[Aticus]

Several years ago Missouri passed a seat belt law. There were bumper displayed by some police cars reflecting the law and reminding all to use the belts. I happened to be working at one cop house and watched several cop cars come in and leave the station without the driver wearing a seat belt. Kinda made me wonder at the time.

I do wear mine and have long before any law to that effect.

 

[Comrad]

How did we survive before seat belts? I remember standing up on the front seat and peeling myself off the dash on several occasions and no one thought anything of it. And I'm talking good old fashioned Detroit iron with nice pointy knobs all over the dash. We brought a kid home from the hospital laying on a car bed. LOL.
All I can say not is I hope I never have to get a kid out of a car seat in an emergency, they are strapped in like NASCAR drivers these days.

 

[Road Rat]

Long before seat belts came in cars from the factory I bought them at the auto parts store and installed them in my car.

They were a pain; they slipped down behind the seat; etc.

BUT, anyone who doesn't wear a seat and shoulder belt system today is a damned fool and should have their license revoked!

People who are injured or killed by not wearing belts become a financial burden to the state (TAXPAYERS) and therefore should be forced, by law, to wear safety devices!

Just my rant for this week............

 

[shouldazagged]

I have no problem with seat belt laws. I've pulled four dead kids out of a wrecked car, and lost friends who wouldn't strap in.

Having once had my own life saved by wearing a seat belt, I'm scrupulous about doing it anytime I do more than move my car in the parking lot of my apartment.

As for the guy with the ridiculous "defense", and those who choose to endanger themselves and risk having their loved ones face dealing with their death or horrible injury, it's just more of that "Ain't no *********** gonna tell me what to do!" mentality that some will always have.

Stupid decisions often have consequences. I'd rather see lesser consequences like fines than to see hardheaded people killed or left quadriplegic because they don't like being told what to do. Or see their children killed or maimed for the same reason.

Some will risk it anyway, of course. And some will be removed from the gene pool, or become financial and emotional burdens for years..

 

[Joe Kent]

First, let me say, I think you are an idiot if you don't wear a seat belt. That being said ,I am 100% opposed to a law making it mandatory that you wear one. I believe that the laws that are needed are those that protect you from me and me from you. I do not think the "state" has any business passing laws that protect me from me. As far as a burden to the tax payer , that could be handled thru your personal car insurance. You are not covered if you are involved in an accident while not wearing your seat belt. I formed this opinion many , many years ago when we stood helplessly by while a man burned to death because his seat belt was "jammed" Since that time I carry a serrated folding knife and 2 ten pound fire extinguishers in all my cars and trucks. Not meaning to cause negative comments, just my personal view. I should add that I am in favor of the law being enforced for the children in the car who cannot make their own choice and cannot help it if the adults in the car are the idiots I spoke about at the start of my post.

 

[bgrafsr]

Several years ago Missouri passed a seat belt law. There were bumper displayed by some police cars reflecting the law and reminding all to use the belts. I happened to be working at one cop house and watched several cop cars come in and leave the station without the driver wearing a seat belt. Kinda made me wonder at the time.

I do wear mine and have long before any law to that effect.

My 1st day on the job, I was assigned to ride with a Sgt. When we got into the cruiser he buckled up, and I asked him if it was mandatory for us to wear the belts (this was before it became law to do so), he said it was not mandatory, but then he chuckled. I gave it no thought and left the belt unbuckled, because of all the gear I had on.

Well, something was said on the radio, but I did not understand it as I was not used to listening to it, and all of a sudden I was holding on for dear life. We had been traveling East on a 4 lane road, and before I could blink, there was a roar from the engine, screeching tires, and the car was going Westbound. When we ended up to where we were going via side roads and back alleys, I got out of the car, weak kneed as heck. After the call, I got back in the car and the seat belt was buckled up in a flash, before Sarge could start the engine. Man, that guy could drive, and after that I always felt comfortable with him.
Always wore it after that.

On another note, the seat belt and air bag saved me when I was hit head on by drunk driver, while I was driving my cruiser. I was on my way home after getting off duty. It was the day before Thanksgiving.

 

[islamoradamark]

first thing i do is put on my seat belt. ive had my kid and there friends in car and they say to me hey how come were not going any where i tell them everyone does not have there seat belt on . then all of a sudden they all got them on teaching them saftey early in life saves lives just like gun saftey

 

[brucev]

While a student in seminary I came up late one Saturday night on a Camaro that passed me then flipped several times, landed upside down. Driver strapped in... O.K., just wanted me to gather up the liquor bottles and throw them over the rail before the police arrive. Passenger was lying in the road on his back, bad shape.

Heard all sorts of stories about people being trapped by seatbelt in wreak and terrible consequences. Once in blue moon, might happen. But all the rest of the times, seatbelts will save lives. Can't see it as a personal liberty problem. No one has the right to expect society at large to pay the consequential costs for them to do as they please, even if that means they must wear a seat belt.

 

[vt_shooter]

The folks who are against seat belts must live where there are no idiot drivers. Where I live, idiots abound, and I don't care to have all my teeth get snapped off at the roots as my head head smashes into the steering wheel after an idiot pulls in front of me and I hit him. How about it anti-seatbelt folks - do you live where there are no idiots, because I'd like to live in such a place!

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

The idea that the government should be legislating things like seat belts is what leads government to believe they have the authority to legislate the size of a soda for our own good. No thanks.

Far more premature death, life long misery and expense is connected to obesity than not wearing a seat belt. Be careful the criteria you use to rationalize government meddling in your personal life.

 

[redlevel]

Heard all sorts of stories about people being trapped by seatbelt in wreak and terrible consequences. Once in blue moon, might happen. But all the rest of the times, seatbelts will save lives. Can't see it as a personal liberty problem. No one has the right to expect society at large to pay the consequential costs for them to do as they please, even if that means they must wear a seat belt.

I agree with the first part of this. Many, if not most, one-car fatal accidents happen because the driver, not wearing a belt, is ejected, and the car rolls over him/her. This has happened to at least four people I have known personally. Yes, statistically, belts save lives many, many times more than they are detrimental.

I don't think you have thought out the second part of your statement above. Would you also be in favor of government-imposed restrictions on what we may eat? No more marbled steaks, no more good old bacon, no more milkshakes, no more sweet iced tea, because of the consequential costs to society at large.

I wear my belt at all times, and so does everyone who rides with me.

I don't think it should be the law for adults, though.

 

[gordon21]

I totaled three vehicles in my stupid youth. A motorcycle at age 17. A brand new lease car at age 22 where I T-boned a lady that ran a red light. And the third one at age 29 where I got hit from behind and spun off the road into a 4' wide oak tree.

After the 3rd incident, I got seat belt religion. That was 29 years ago.

Since then, I won't even drive to the end of my driveway without buckling up. I instilled that into both my daughters when they started driving. I can proudly say 100% of all my family and descendants now use seat belts 100% of the time.

 

[4011]

I'm a seat belt guy. Last Tuesday I was driving my 1932 Ford coupe. Young man in his Beamer pulled right out in front of me. I locked up my old drum brakes and cranked the manual steering to the left to avoid a crash. The seat belt kept me in behind the wheel instead of throwing me to the right side of the car. There was no paint exchanged. He did not offer any eye contact either. Have used belts since 1963.

 

[turbo6]

Under 18, click it or ticket. Over 18, it should be your choice.

With that said, when I lived in NH that's how the law was. I wore my seatbelt regardless.

When I was 16 some friends were driving in their car behind us. It was snowing, they ended up losing control and flipping over. Both were wearing seatbelts, though the drivers jammed, so she was stuck upside down until we cut her out.

Since then always wear a seatbelt and always have a knife in the car.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Salty RI]

I have to ware a seat belt to drive a 6000 lb truck but I don't need a helmet to drive a motorcycle, doesn't make much sense to me.