[QUOTE=Zebra]
The answer is that for one thing, wearing a seat belt is not a bit of knowledge a person is born having. It has to be learned. Yes, there are somethings, some very important things, that people don’t learn in their life time.
[/QUOTE]
Wearing a seat belt is common sense. It is also the law in many states, including Maryland (and there are signs everywhere, so there is no “ignorance” defense). So, if you lack common sense and personal responsibility, and you don’t follow the law, the your chances of dying in a crash increase. That is not my opinion, it is a fact.
Sadly, because this girl didn’t learn that lesson in her lifetime, her lifetime was cut drastically short. That should serve as a lesson to everyone to buckle up.
On a sidenote, this is one less couple who will have kids who they don’t buckle up, and who they don’t teach to buckle up, and on and on. The cycle of ignorance is cut short, and hopefully others take this as an example.
[QUOTE=Zebra]
Secondly, when a young couple starts off on a romantic weekend, death is the last thing on their minds…
[/quote]
Well, putting your seat belt on immediately when you get in a car should be the first thing on anyone’s mind, regardless of whether they’re a young couple going on a romantic trip, or an old couple just going up the street.
[QUOTE=Zebra]
What makes you think that they are going to wear them now?
[/quote]
Because it’s the law? Because we, as a society in 2007, know better? Because in general, people don’t want to die in horrible car accidents? For the same reason that people thought smoking was good for you 50 years ago and now we know it is unhealthy?
I did pit everyone involved, but yes, the girl was the least culpable of them all. I admit that the fact that she was not wearing a seat belt lessens my sympathy for her. In fact, when I read about people dying in car accidents who were not wearing a seat belt, I always feel less sympathy for them.