Failing to click seatbelt could lead to a ticket

Blindly jump on the "save my rights" bandwagon and keep drinking the kool-aid.

Wow I never knew wearing a seat belt was such an inconvenience. But then again some "adults" pride themselves on displaying their ignorance.

An easier way change the behavior of the ignorant amongst us is for the insurance companies to stop honoring insurance claims for unbelted drivers involved in vehicular accidents. And I don't mean those thrown from vehicles. I mean fools who don't wear them.

Lucky225 - it is not illegal, because as the article states, "Police in Virginia can’t pull over a driver for a seatbelt violation alone, but troopers and police will be checking motorists who are pulled over for any other reason.". So they have to have reason other than seeing a person is not wearing a seatbelt to stop the vehicle first. The seatbelt law in VA is not a primary offense.

Neither the article nor the "Click it or Ticket" program purports that an officer can pull someone over merely for failing to wear a seatbelt. In fact the article clearly states, "Police in Virginia can’t pull over a driver for a seatbelt violation alone, but troopers and police will be checking motorists who are pulled over for any other reason."

Virginia Code 46.2-1094

F. No citation for a violation of this section shall be issued unless the officer issuing such citation has cause to stop or arrest the driver of such motor vehicle for the violation of some other provision of this Code or local ordinance relating to the operation, ownership, or maintenance of a motor vehicle or any criminal statute.

Everyone has their own stories about seat belts but I have to tell you after witnessing what could have been a horrific accident in Chesapeake this past Sat when a silver toyota truck rolled infront of a suberu ALL passengers in the truck THAT ROLLED got out shaken but ok as well as the couple with the suberu. I had a severe accident in 2002 that since woke me , course now I suffer from memory loss and headaches I buckle up now. Even pregnant I love the fact that if you look in your vehical manual there are actually settings so that if you are larger or pregnant you can adjust the seatbelt to save yourself. I have lost too many friends in accidents Im glad they are doing this

Wow...the story was kind of boring, but, the comments were great!

WAVY news had a report on the click-it ticket farce this morning.

They cited the man who was thrown from his vehicle and died on Blackwater Rd. What they didn't report was that it was 2a.m. and the man was drunk(which they did report when the accident happened some time ago), and that section of Blackwater Rd. is totally straight and flat.
Bottom line, seat belt or not, if he was not DUI he would be alive today.

Maybe some of you don't need a law to tell you to wear a seal belt, but there are certainly those that do. Government inteference is in our face everyday, but without some of the laws, people would do as they wish, and some people still do. I want cell phones banned, and no just because cell's are banned would the government say radios should be banned as someone else mentioned.

This is all a silly debate over wearing a seat belt that saves lives and people turning it into a "nanny state" government control inteference. If you don't want to wear it, personally I don't care. After all it's your life not mine.

New Hampshire's slogan is actually, "Live Free or Die."

Hey you rebels, libertarians, goofballs or whatever else you desire to label yourselves: If you don't want to wear a seatbelt, and don't want to be ticketed, why don't you move to the ONLY state that does not require you to do so? That would be New Hampshire. These folks love their slogan, "Be Free or Die." Riding around our crowded freeways without a seatbelt almost assures you of the latter, sooner or later. Anyway, you best hurry because this time last year there were some rumblings about instituting a law. You know why...because it only makes sense!

Thank you, I did ask for that information. Although that figure does seem a bit high for FY 2000 (it seems high for today's numbers). It is doubtful they can come up with a concrete figure due to the enormous amount of variables.

As for your snide remarks, it just goes to show your true character...

The reactions to my posts are no surprise. Unfortunately the American masses would rather be told what to do rather than think for themselves. It is unfortunate now and sets-up a scary future.

Is it really that complicated an issue to grasp?

"Safety belt usage saves society an estimated $50 billion annually in medical care, lost productivity, and other injury-related costs."

from the...

The Economic Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2000. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT HS 809 446, p. 55.

csh wrote:

However, the *FACT* is that if you wear a seatbelt, you can maintain better control of your vehicle during an incident, and it keeps my insurance costs from climbing because of your stupidity.

How do you maintain control of your vehicle after a collision? Professional race drivers wear five-point harnesses and are firmly attached to their seats, yet they always seem to take out a few others.

I have yet to see any correlation in insurance rates and seat-belt usage; please enlighten me.

And I suggest you re-read my posts before resorting to childish name calling. You'll get your point across much better without it.

It's just a seatbelt! Buckle it. It takes 2 seconds of your day. There are more important things for everyone to complain about.

As for the person who got ticketed at the Shipyard...have you never driven on military property before?

Refusing to wear a seat belt does not only hurt you.

If that was true then I'd say fine, don't wear one.

However, the *FACT* is that if you wear a seatbelt, you can maintain better control of your vehicle during an incident, and it keeps my insurance costs from climbing because of your stupidity.

Seatbelts are not just about saving the life of the wearer, they benefit everyone on the road around you too.

Can I remove my seatbelt to retrieve my registration from the glove compartment? Can I attach an additional piece of metal to the top of my fastened seatbelt to make it seem like it isn't fastened? Can I remove the original metal from my seatbelt to make it look like it is fastened? What if I am on private property, like a long driveway? If I can remove the seatbelt to get out of the car once stopped, can I take it off if stopped at a long light? Is the driver at fault for failing to wait until the passenger fastens her seatbelt? How will the police know if the seatbelt is in front or behind my chest? Does the engine have to be on? It looks like this law will be fun for lawyers.

Notice how melon equates sharing their political view with the belief in god or religion? Personally, I don't think god supports any of the parties but surely would want to distance himself from many of both the left and rights policies. I guess it simplifies things for people to have specific 'groups' to place everyone in. Which religion is it that kills others because they have a holy obligation? All of them according to their followers.

Live a clean life..dont smoke..dont drink..go to church..obay all the laws..pay your taxes and then one day get hit by a repeat drunk driver who has a long list of run ins with the law only to be released because he has rights too...let drivers talk on their cell phones,while putting on makeup and chewing gum all at the same time..leave them bee..it dont matter if its your time..it is your time..PERIOD...When someone decides to do so manny things..all at the same time..all behind the wheel STATISTICS WILL CATCH UP WITH THEM ONE DAY.. Hopefully they will be the only one involved.. we all no..to well..thats not allways the case most of the time an innocent person or people are there..at the wrong place at the wrong time....LAWS DONT STOP STUPID HE DOES WHAT HE WANTS

Still I would prefer the Virginia police spend more effort on reckless and aggressive drivers, and I understand the secondary offense, but it is happening where drivers are being stopped for not wearing a seatbelt as a primary offense. I've seen it. I wear mine because I don't want to go through the windshield, get get ejected through the window onto the asphalt, or end up thrown into the back seat, as seen on some of the YOUTUBE videos. It would be a little tough to grow a new skull or new skin.

or just a way to help build up the states money? What they need to do is crack dowm on cell phone users, they are so distracted it is just a matter of when the accident will occur.

After that I expect there will be a major inititive to rid all vehicles of radios as these too can cause distraction and cause folks not to pay attantion to the task at hand. Heaven forbid we decide to use good old fashioned common sense and simply hole people accountable for their own actions. Oh my goodness...did I just say "Heaven"? I apologize for referencing something found in the Bible. The lefties out there will have a fit!!

You are incorrect on your assumption. I DO believe in complete cell phone bans (speaker, headset, etc.) Why? Because it can affect others' safety.

Individuals that back "self-preservation" laws enjoy government interference in their lives. Their mentality is, "If the government says it's okay, it must be so." That kind of mentality is very frightening indeed.

By the way, I do use a seatbelt; I just don't need a law to tell me to do so.

I'll tell you how it harms others for you to not wear a seat belt. Beyond the sorrow you cause your loved ones when you unneccessarily hurt or killed, you increase our insurance liabilities for the rest of us with your unnecessary medical bills. This is similar to medical bills of smokers and obese individuals. Another comment below spoke of not needing seat belts when the speed limit was 25. That's a very ignorant comment. Try running as fast as you can into a brick wall and see what that does to your face. Not that you could run 25 mph, but wrecking a car at that speed can throw your face into the window, especially for passengers.

Some people may not be reminded to wear their seat belts while others do need a "nanny" to tell them what to do, because they can't figure out these things for themselves. The next law will be cell phones, and the sooner the better. Those that don't understand why they should have to wear a seat belt are probably the same one who think they can talk and drive at the same time. You cannot! You are not that important that you can't drive unless you have a phone to your ear. You are one of the most irresponsible groups on the roads.

Personal liberty and freedom is not a "right-wing" initiative, it's Libertarian. Seat belt laws may save lives, but I don't need a law telling me to use them. If I don't use it, what harm does it do to you or others?

Here endth the lesson...

I guess that is next. Undoubtedly supported by the left wing liberals.

Making people wear their seat belts saves LIVES! It also reduces your insurance bill. You need a nanny.

I got stopped by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard Police after coming thru the gate this morning. Stopped and ticketed by one of Mayberry's finest for not having my seatbelt on. After driving 40 miles to get here, removing my seatbelt to retrieve my badge in my back pocket and failing to put it back on. I can see where this inititive will save countless lives here in the Shipyard where the max. speed limit is 25 mph. Then issued a worthless ticket, no fine, no court appearence.

More Nanny-State promotional goodness!

Why do you guys report these seat belt ticket stories as if they don't write tickets every other opportunity they have? We know we have the possibility of being issued a summons for such violation. That should (as many other things in this world) be my option. I'm sure it's all about someone being overly concerned about my well being, or is it the revenue it produces? How bout the local authorities pay some attention to the "speed bumps" all along 264 I have complained (to VDOT) about several times? Try riding a motorcycle down 264 one day.