The Virginian-Pilot
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Beginning this weekend, Virginia State Police plan to join local law enforcement officers in a Click-It-or-Ticket enforcement and education campaign for seatbelt usage.
The campaign begins Sunday and runs through Nov. 20, according to a State Police news release.
While troopers and other officers are enforcing other traffic laws, they plan to pay special attention to seatbelt and child safety restraint usage, according to Col. W. Steven Flaherty, State Police Superintendent.
As of Oct. 31, at least 257 people who weren’t restrained died in crashes, according to State Police. Last year, 307 people who were not buckled up died in crashes.
Last year, troopers wrote 26,797 tickets for adults not buckling up and 7,135 tickets for children not being properly restrained, the release says.
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The sum of previous comments
Ok so I always wear my seatbelt, but still don't believe it should be a law - - however a very common theme among the previous posters is that someone who doesn't wear their seatbelt (or motorcycle helmet) costs everyone money for medical expenses and other forms of support. So my question is if we have to pay anyway, either through higher insurance rate or medicade/medicare, it sounds the the single-payer universal coverage model would save everyone money.
Correct!
Abso-(deleted)-lutely!
Now if you can only convince the anti Obama people of this truth, we might ALL save money!
Your business, but-
No belt? Fine. However when you go the the ER to get that rear-view mirror out of your skull after some texter ran that light in front of you, don't expect me to be happy to see my medical insurance go up because, along with no belt, you felt that insurance was another scam. Pardon me if you can't fit in the door because that cast from the steering wheel breaking your ribs is too bulky. Sorry about you losing your legs because you were ejected after the car rolled when you avoided that deer. Be comforted in the knowledge while that you were "free" to out of the the rest of us had to wait for the ambulance and rescue crew to get you out of a mess you would otherwise have walked away from. Your "freedom" costs all of us, and we don't like it!
By law, one....
….has to wear seat belts. A motorcyclist must wear a helmet.
But......
Our leaders think it's perfectly acceptable to ride a rail-bound bus without belts while surrounded by unpadded metal – no helmet required.
Here is the problem
Lets use the helmet law example. I was on EMS duty one evening and a man on a motorcycle with no helmet thinks I am PD takes off and immediately face plants into a fire hydrant without a helmet. So most of his mental capacity and personality were left on the pavement.
He survives after hundreds of thousands in care. Fast forward two months later. He is now home in his play pen in his diaper with the mental capacity of an infant. He is prone to seizures so we would have to go out a couple times a month and take him to the ER for treatment.
His family is bankrupt and on medicaid now. They kept their home but lost everything else.
It is like seat belt laws. In the end the taxpayers foot the bill if they aren't worn just like helmets.
Exactly! The taxpayers and
Exactly! The taxpayers and future customers of the hospital(s) shouldn't have to pay because someone is too STUPID to use what any clear-thinking individual would realize is a necessary piece of safety equipment. Don't buckle up and become paralyzed? Don't wear a helmet and wind up in a vegetative state? Your relatives should have to foot every cent of every bill if you are unable. Maybe that will get the message through!
You're right
But, look at how much "freedom" he has now! Doesn't have to make decisions. Doesn't have to hold a job. Doesn't have to worry about where his next meal is coming from. But gosh, that wind in his hair really felt good!
(I agree. Same results can come from not using safety belts in cars)
I'd much rather...
I'd much rather there was a law implemented that made texting while driving the highest level of misdemeanor possible with a MASSIVE fine.
If people want to take their lives into their own hands by not wearing a seat belt, I say let them! Of course there is a caveat... If they are grievously injured as a result of their own stupidity, they will owe the hospital, doctors, surgeons, rescue squad, fire department, helicopter (airlift) and any other company who provides a service as a result of the accident their full bill. Automobile, life and any other insurance should be VOID in this instance and it will be impossible to file bankruptcy to get out of it. Now, still don't like wearing your seat belt? Be prepared to take responsibility!
MASSIVE fine.
… and pull the license. There are to many parents that would suck that up to keep their darlings from going to jail.
Agreed. I ran out of room.
Agreed. I ran out of room. I think a public flogging would be in order too. I mean, think about it. You are driving a 3-5 THOUSAND pound missile down a road full of other people and looking at a little, bitty screen and typing messages. I see people doing it all of the time as they drift in and out of their lane, drive 10-30 miles over or under the limit etc. That is even more stupid than driving without a seat belt in my opinion.