Seat belt laws in the U.S.

In most states it is, but I believe that there are still a couple holdouts.

I thought they had all finally fallen in line. Who's left? Idaho? Wyoming?

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In NH it's just children under 16 that needs to be buckled in, when I lived in GA, pickup trucks were exempt from the seat belt law, that may have changed since then, I moved 3 years ago.

I think that W made it a national thing.

Here in 'good ol boy' country, they have just started running ads "Wear your seat belt in your pickup" They they show a poor little Ford Ranger doing sommersaults down the road.

I see ont thing out here that really worries me. People driving with small children on their laps IN TOWN.

If they want to let the little guy "drive" why not do it in the driveway, not in traffic???

Kate

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| >>In most states it is, but I believe that there are still a couple holdouts. | >

| >I thought they had all finally fallen in line. Who's left? Idaho? | >Wyoming? | >

| >Hey! Spikey Likes IT! | >1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok | >Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior | >Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" | >w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16 | | | In NH it's just children under 16 that needs to be buckled in, when I | lived in GA, pickup trucks were exempt from the seat belt law, that | may have changed since then, I moved 3 years ago. |

On Sat, 21 May 2005 02:12:48 -0400, RichA wrote something wonderfully witty:

Pretty much. I think what you saw were the National Transportation ads that aren't State specific. "Click it or Ticket" campaigns are being very heavily run right now in a lot of states. Virginia, where I live, is running it's own campaign right now.

Personally I wish the would focus a little more on things like crime, instead of making things such as stupidity (driving without a seat belt) a crime. Darwin's theories will kick in and naturally select out those who need to be removed from the gene pool for stupidity reasons.

And how about the morons riding in the pickup bed? They're just waiting to get bounced out.

"SVTKate" wrote in news:WMEje.5291$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

Here (Canada) if you were caught and convicted three times for not wearing a seat belt, your insurance would go up so high you wouldn't be able to drive. It's two demerit points.

-Rich

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I would agree (and some chlorine never hurt either) as far as adults are concerned. However, kids don't have a choice in what happens. They need the protection, and if parents won't do so voluntarily, then there should be a law. Of course, you do have to consider that if the kids survive and the parent don't, it's very possible that your tax money will now be supporting more on the rolls. Maybe the law should require at least one parent to be buckled up?

As for the back of pickups.... I th>On Sat, 21 May 2005 02:12:48 -0400, RichA wrote

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When I was a kid, we used to ride in the back of the truck. Not on the highways, but around in the country. Mom or dad drove slowly and we were made to sit on the bottom of the bed, with our backs up against the cab of the truck

It was only after we became adults that we could ride on the tailgate with a beer in our hand.

Here in WA, dogs must be restrained in a pickup bed (rarely practiced or enforced), but if all the interior seatbelts are filled (with children getting seatbelt priority over adults other than the driver) people are allowed to ride unrestrained and uncovered in the bed.

Weird, huh?

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Sorry Spike, but it's just another case of too much government trying to protect people from themselves. BTW this was all started by the insurance industry because the more people got hurt the more money they would have to pay in claims it had nothing to do with being good to us, then it became the politically correct thing to do and now here we are.

Regardless of THE LAW, I and other self preserving, thinking humans have worn seatbelts and use child seats. So we now HAVE TO wear seatbelts but, it doesn't keep idiots from using them while driving 80 mph drinking coffee, reading the paper, chatting on the phone or putting on makeup, etc.

MG

I believe it was Bill Cosby that said it best. He said that the reason we are required to wear seat belts is because the ambulance drivers are too lazy to look for the bodies at a crash site.

Gary

"Mr.~G." wrote in a message:

In Florida you aren't supposed to have any riders in the truck bed on highways. Rural areas are okay as long as those in the bed stay seated at all times. I'm not sure what the law is regarding dogs but I can't recall the last time I saw a dog in a truck bed that WASNT somehow restrained. When I was a teenager we used to ride in the truck bed on the highway, but we would lay down so we didn't get pulled over. As a matter of fact I can remember the last time I rode in the truck bed. It was 3 am in the middle of December and cold as hell. We went from Orlando to Daytona because at that time Daytona was the only place that sold Krispy Kreme donuts and we were stoned out of our gourds. We ended up taking comforters to try and stay warm. It didn't help much. Now you know why it's the LAST time I ever rode in a truck bed.

K.

That may be as far as adults are concerned, but where kids are concerned, I see it differently. Kids have no choice. They don't get tossed in the back seat and think to themselves, 'geee, I'm sure glad they didn't buckle me in so I can get thrown all the way forward and through the windshield if we have an accident'.

Personally, even I think the law goes too far. I think it should be my choice about what I do regarding my own safety. I do not have the right to risk the safety of others. That's their choice (adults). Same thing with helmet laws.

However, the insurance companies then have the right to put in the fine print, if you do something which inherently escalates the degree of claim, they have the right to limit payment, or whatever. That would simply be good business (whether anyone likes it or not) on their part. An example is found in the military which mandated seatbelt use. If a GI has an accident and is not wearing a seatbelt, the military can refuse to provide the 100% medical care which is normally provided. In fact, they can refuse to provide any care. This came about because GIs were wearing seatbelts on the base, and as soon as they left the base, they took them off.

BTW.. I always got a chuckle about the people driving around looking like the were obeying the law, with their seatbelts hanging out the bottom of the door. Pull 'em over and walk up and see them struggling in panic trying to get the belt on before I get to them. And the surprised looks when I say, "I just wanted to let you know your seatbelt is hanging out. Have a nice day." and go back to my car.

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What and have personal accountabliltiy? LOL

Double LOL

MG