The Virginian-Pilot
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Efforts to toughen Virginia's seat-belt law hit a wall Thursday in the House of Delegates.
The state Senate had passed a bill Wednesday to make non use of seat belts a primary offense, meaning police could stop a vehicle solely for that reason. But an identical bill was tabled Thursday morning in a House subcommittee, meaning no such measure is likely to reach the House floor.
Introduced by Del. Bill Barlow, D-Smithfield, HB901 had the support of the insurance industry, AAA, Drive Smart Virginia, the Virginia Highway Safety Office, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Proponents of the measure said 88 percent of drivers in states with primary seat-belt laws buckle up, compared with 77 percent in states such as Virginia, where non use of belts is a secondary offense. They also noted that passing the bill would bring Virginia $16 million in federal incentive money.
None of that was enough to move the Militia, Police and Public Safety subcommittee, which tabled the measure on a 3-1 vote. The panel's chairman, Del. Benjamin Cline, R-Amherst, said the benefits of the bill were outweighed by its limitations on personal freedom.
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Lost Revenue
The freedom boys should find 16-million in state revenues to make up for the lost incentives. Ben Cline must not have potholes in his part of this Virginia heaven.
The direct price of freedom for not enforcing primary seatbelt laws, opposed to enforcing seat belt laws only after another infraction, is 16-million dollars.
Go figure
It seems that the mantra "Personal freedom" means only those freedoms which the "Say No" party permits. The panel's chairman, Del. Benjamin Cline, R-Amherst, obviously does not believe in the responsibility of his office to obtain all available information concerning the fatalaty rate between buckled and unbuckled drivers/passengers. Using his logic, children also should be permitted the freedom of the back seat to bounce around in while riding.
Government control
I salute those who turned down this action. I believe wearing seatbelts is smart, but I don't believe the government has the right to tell me I have to. It is not their job to tell me how to handle my personal safety. It is not the government's job to keep the fatality rates down... it is ours, the drivers. The government provides roads, rules of the road, but can't drive for us. And yes the children should have the freedom to bounce around the back seat, IF THE PARENTS ALLOW IT. We the parents have the right and responsibility to make the rules in our own homes, car, etc. Let's not give our parental rights/ responsibilities over to the government. You don't want that!