{"id":1,"date":"2023-02-13T18:57:22","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T18:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justmyrambelings.com\/?p=1"},"modified":"2025-06-12T01:04:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T01:04:16","slug":"seat-belt-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmyrambelings.com\/index.php\/2023\/02\/13\/seat-belt-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Seat Belt Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Seat Belt Laws<\/h1>\r\n
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Let me start off by saying that I agree that wearing a seat-belt makes good sense and is advisable.\u00a0 Don\u2019t take this personal, it\u2019s not an indictment, it\u2019s just my personal observations and views on the subject. Seat Belt Laws are a Scam!<\/p>\r\n

However; I feel that seat belt and similar so called safety regulations\/laws are largely a sham and a money-making opportunity for law enforcement.\u00a0 They give the false illusion that the local, state and federal government entities involved are doing something good for the health and well being of their constituents.\u00a0 Restated: I do not believe that the state and local governments see it as anything more than a money generator as well as a smoke and mirror show to draw attention away from the real issues of the day.<\/p>\r\n

If the driver of a private vehicle is not wearing one, hefty fines are levied.\u00a0 If the driver has his on but the passengers do not, again the driver gets fined.<\/p>\r\n

I have ridden in privately operated shuttle vans where seat belts laws were enforced and the driver made sure all were wearing them before the shuttle started out.\u00a0 This is because a 15 passenger shuttle buss is easy prey and fines are calculated by the number of people not wearing them (not one fine per vehicle to cover all offenses in the vehicle).\u00a0 Again this smells of money making.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

If they were really enforcing seat belts for public safety than all forms of transportation would be required to provide them, enforce use and be liable for infractions.\u00a0 Why doesn\u2019t this apply to public transportation?\u00a0 Am supposed to believe that it\u2019s for the public\u2019s safety but public transit never gets in accidents therefore no risk of injury exists? That answer would be utter nonsense!<\/p>\r\n

Montgomery County MD School buses had seat belts installed and before the project was even completed they decided to pull them out again because the kids were playing with them or using them as weapons.\u00a0 If public safety was really an issue they would have been replaced by a rigid bar type restraint similar to the ones worn at an amusement park. Safety is not the issue, money is.<\/p>\r\n

In every mass transit accident where people have been hurt the majority of the injuries have been incurred by people who are thrown from their seats.\u00a0 If public safety was the issue than all mass transit would have seat belts and be liable for their rider\u2019s non-compliance just as a private companies or citizens would be while driving privately owned vehicles.<\/p>\r\n

I have rarely been in a cab where the patron was required to wear one even though they are generally available in cabs.<\/p>\r\n

Show me a commuter rail where seat belts laws are enforced.\u00a0 How about a public bus?\u00a0 Nope not there either.\u00a0 They aren’t even available in most cases. In the seldom cases where they have been installed they are not enforced and are usually taken out after very long. I have never been in mass transit; buses, subways, and \u2018regular\u2019 or \u2018light commuter\u2019 rail service or on an aircraft (other than landing or take off in a commercial plane) that seat belts are required.\u00a0 As a matter of fact I don\u2019t believe that I\u2019ve been in a public bus or subway that even had a seat belt available.<\/p>\r\n

I have been in passenger cars on the railroad,\u00a0 that did have seat belts available but wearing them was not enforced and most of them were down between the seats and obviously had rarely if ever been used.\u00a0 I have also been on light rail and commuter cars that didn’t have any restraints of any type available.<\/p>\r\n

I have seen them in government owned\/operated transportation, shuttle buses and vans but again there is no enforcement or liability and no fines are levied.<\/p>\r\n

Arguments against mandatory availability and use usually center on the cost of installation, upkeep and monitoring use.\u00a0 None of which are valid if safety is the real goal. It\u2019s my personal belief [with obvious exceptions] is that the government should be susceptible to the same regulations and laws applied to its citizens.<\/p>\r\n

The argument that some people cannot wear a seat belt due to special circumstances is not valid because the same person with the same \u201cspecial circumstances\u201d would still be required to wear proper restraints in a private vehicle.<\/p>\r\n

Once again we see that the government exempts itself from legislation that is supposedly passed for the common good and in the name of public safety.<\/p>\r\n

This is not a safety issue it\u2019s a money maker. Period.<\/p>\r\n

Prove me wrong. Put them in all forms of public transportation.<\/u><\/p>\r\n

Oh and I just have to ask this\u2026<\/strong> A few years ago the Governor of New Jersey was recently in a very bad accident and apparently was not wearing his seat belt. While I\/m glad his recovery went well, The police were not going to write him up for it until he TOLD them to! Do they ask or neglect to write everyon4e up until asked to? I think not\u2026<\/p>\r\n

Just for the heck of it I picked a recent year at random to find out what the statistics really look like Here are some statistics for you to ponder:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

EDIT:<\/em> Of course these numbers change every year and vary from state to state.\u00a0 You can check your state through most state police websites; check here for Maryland<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration\u2019s own statistics say that in 2005:<\/p>\r\n