-
Yes.
-
Yes.
-
Safer.
(And those horror-show videos they showed us in Driver’s Ed. worked on me.) -
No. I don’t like laws designed to protect people from themselves. My body, my decision. (But I still choose to wear a seatbelt.)
When I am driving, the car does not move until everyone in the vehicle has fastened their seatbelts. I use mine religiously. Why? Well, because it is safer. I think this is obvious. Above and beyond that, though, is the fact that I have been in two major car accidents. In one, the driver (I was the passenger, sitting in the front) rear-ended the car in front of us at a speed of about 40 mph. I was wearing my seatbelt. I had a seatbelt-shaped bruise across my chest, but my head did not slam into the windshield, as it would almost certainly have done if I weren’t wearing a belt.
In the other accident, the driver (my stepfather at the time) skidded on a wet road and rolled the vehicle into a creek. I was not wearing a seatbelt, because he “didn’t believe in them” and wouldn’t let me wear one. (Yes, Mom divorced this asshole not too long afterwards, don’t worry.) I wound up with minor nerve damage to my left knee as a result of a deep puncture wound, which I almost certainly would not have gotten had I been wearing a seatbelt. It is a miracle I wasn’t killed. There is no, repeat NO way that I was safer in that vehicle because I was not wearing a seatbelt.
As far as the seatbelt laws, I approve of them mostly because we learned in driver’s ed class that if you aren’t wearing a seatbelt, you’re more likely to be thrown about in an accident, thus potentially causing bodily injury to the other passengers. With the experience of age, I now know that not everything my driver’s ed instructor taught us was 100% accurate, so if that factoid isn’t actually true, I am less supportive of the seatbelt laws. However, I still STRONGLY feel that everyone should be wearing one any time they are in a moving vehicle.
Seatbelts save lives, and anyone who wants to assert otherwise had better come in here with a wheelbarrow full of statistics and citations to prove it.
-
Yes, but in Pennsylvania it’s not a primary offense. If you get stopped for something else when you’re not belted, you get another $10 ticket.
-
Yes, unless I’m in my '66 Cadillac which doesn’t have shoulder harnesses. I don’t wear them then because all the lap belt does is snap your spine in two at the pelvis when your body jackknifes.
OTOH, the Cadillac is so big and heavy that nothing short of a battleship will transmit impact forces into the cabin. Cavaliers, Escorts, et. al. just get stuck in the grille. 
-
Safety. I am typing this today because a seat belt kept me in place when I was t-boned by a jacked-up pickup truck, knocked across an intersection and spun into a light pole. It took the fire department about 30 minutes to cut me out of what was left of my car, which had been bent into an almost perfect figure-8 shape.
-
Hell yes! Not because I’m for a nanny-style government, but because I don’t want my tax dollars spent on keeping you (or me) in IV dinners and diapers vegetating in a state hospital somewhere.
Zap
raises hand.
wears seatbelt.
- yes
- yes
3a. I started wearing it to follow the law but now it’s a habit. - I generally feel that the gov’t should let me be fatally stupid if I feel like it but since I am on public roads and affecting public resources, well I agree with their right to make laws wrt my behavior in those areas.
personal anecdotes:
I have been in 2 serious accidents before the seat belt laws were in place. Once I fell asleep and hit a telephone pole head on at ~45 mph. 81 honda accord totalled. me: mild concussion and some chest bruises. Slight scar on forehead where I hit the windshield. 2nd time, me driving an mr2 was t-boned by an SUV. Head hit side window and then windshield, glass embedded in chin, cervical strain and still face chronic neck pain 3 yrs later that has greatly increased the frequency with which I get migraines. I wasn’t wearing a seat belt either time but I wish I had now. The 2nd time was scariest since I woke up feeling the blood dripping down my head and from my face and was dazed and in shock.
I haven’t had an accident since then but I don’t believe anyone can seriously deny that wearing a seat belt is inherently safer in most situations. Sure a person may have been thrown free in the odd accident here and there but no one tells you how many times a person has been thrown into more danger/death. I’ll bet that happens a lot more.
** 1) Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt? **
Yes, but only recently has it been enforced as an offense in itself. Prior to a few months ago, you would only be ticketed for it if you were pulled over on some other offense. Now it has been announced that you may be pulled over and ticketed for that alone.
**2) Do you? **
Yes, I try to wear it always. And to remind those in my car to do so, especially those in the front seat.
**3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer? **
Both. But I’m convinced that on average, you are safer. 15 years ago, I lost my finance in a car accident. She would almost certainly have survived if she had been wearing a seatbelt. A sample of one is useless of course, but it gives certain emotional component to my attempts to remember.
4) If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
Yes and no. My basic feeling is that people should be allowed to do stupid things, even life threatening things, as long as they don’t bother me or mine with it.
However, it seems to be pretty certain that seatbelts not only reduce deaths, but also reduce the frequency and severity of injuries. This means that people not wearing seatbelts and who are injured are contributing in some fashion to higher insurance rates and costs at publicly supported hospitals or care centers. Based on this, it does cost me something for others not wear seatbelts.
How much does it cost? I have no idea, but probably not a huge amount. But it’s not a terribly restrictive law, doesn’t infringe on any of our basic rights as far as I can see, and it really does seem to make you safer. All in all, it’s one government intrusion that doesn’t bother me too much.
Ugly
1) Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?
Yes, if you’re in the front seat. If you’re in the back seat, and over (I think) 16 years old, you don’t have to wear one. At least, that’s how I remember it. I’m in Missouri, so if I’m wrong, correct me please!
2) Do you?
Heck yeah. I drive a Wrangler with a soft top. If something bad happens and the car rolls, I’m pretty much dead without it.
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?
Safer
4) If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
Pretty much. I guess I can understand the OP’s feelings. I don’t like airbags, and would prefer to have them turned off in any car that I bought, but some people swear by them.
Yes,yes, yes!
Not wearing seatbelts is just stupid. It’s like riding in a car that has no doors. You can, but it’s just stupid.
So what are you saying? C’mon, tell me how you really feel.
Easily. If I get into a head on collision at 65mph (with another car/truck going just as fast), the dash/steering column will come to me. So, even with a seatbelt restraining my body from moving, my chances of walking away are minimal. Seatbelt = not so helpful. (A friend of mine was in the accident described above. She was wearing her seatbelt. She is no longer alive.)
My parents rolled their '93 Ford Ranger across the northbound lane of the freeway, through the median, and halfway through the southbound lane. Seconds after the pickup came to a stop, a Freightliner came along (70 is the speed limit) and slammed into my parent’s pickup. They were in the median, having been tossed from the vehicle. Had they been wearing their seatbelts, they very likely would have died.
- Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?
Yes. I’m in Canada and I don’t know if any of the provinces don’t have this as a law.
- Do you?
Always.
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?
I do it because it makes me feel safer. I don’t feel comfortable without it, even if I’m just moving my car a few feet. The only time I take it off while driving is if I’m parallel parking on a hill, on a one way street, on the left hand side of the road, pointing up (may be a little irrational, but I can’t help it). I rolled my first car when a tire blew. I totalled the car but didn’t get a scratch. It would have been a different story if I had not had my seatbelt on.
- If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
I do agree with it. I don’t know when the seatbelt law was enacted in my home province but it was always in effect in our family car. When you grow up with it, it becomes a habit that you really don’t think about as an adult. The laws make it mandatory to put children in seatbelts (or appropriate carseats, depending on size, age) and some parents wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t the law (some don’t anyway). Kids can’t necessarily make the choice for themselves so if a law protects some of them that would otherwise be at risk, then I think it’s worthwhile. As far as adults are concerned, I still agree with it as I think it serves to minimize health care costs (often a controversial topic in Canada).
etc
- Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?
Yes.
- Do you?
Absolutely.
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?
I do it because I always have, I am used to it, and it does in fact make me feel safer.
3b) If no, why not?
N/A
- If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
Yes!
- Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?
Yes, in PA.
- Do you?
Always. I should mention that I’ve been in several accidents, a couple of them fairly severe, but have never been seriously injured. I put at least some of that down to the wearing of three-point belts. Even if that were not the case, I have been in a sufficient number of situations that could have resulted in an injury-causing crash that I cannot consider driving without being belted in.
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?
Safer. I wore belts routinely long before laws made it mandatory.
- If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
Yes, on the basis of the social burden related to persons who severely injure themselves due to their failure to use belts. Don’t get me started on airbags, though. In fact, I prefer that seatbelts/shoulder harnesses remain mandatory, but that airbags be a delete option for new cars.
- Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?
Yes
- Do you?
Yes
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?
Both
- If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?
Yes
Before this ignorance gets to a third page, you should really check out what Snopes has to say about the false urban legend that people shouldn’t wear seatbelts because there are some accidents in which it is safer to be unbuckled.
A few relevant quotes:
You can choose to break the law, and you can choose to put yourself in danger. But you should at least have the facts.
One final thought: The plural of anecdote is not data.
**1) Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt? **
Yes
**2) Do you? **
Not always.
**3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer? **
When I do do wear it, yes.
**3b) If no, why not? **
Too lazy
**4) If you do have such a law, do you agree with it? **
I don’t really care.
-
Yes, although oddly, it applies only to adults. Japanese law has nothing to say about children and seatbelts, and doesn’t even require child seats. I still get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach every day when I see people driving with infants in their laps or worse, crawling on top of the dashboards.
-
Yep. I haven’t driven in several years, but I always wear one when I ride. I’ve also noticed that, with the exception of the guys riding $2000+ racing bikes, I’m the only cyclist in my area who wears a helmet.
-
Feel safer. I’ve never been in an accident, but I’ve had enough sudden stops that I’d probably be missing a few teeth right now if I didn’t wear a belt.
-
Mixed. If I didn’t have to pay a cent for other people’s mistakes, I’d say let them let them be responsible for themselves. We have national health care, though, so I’d like to keep those costs minimized, if at all possible.
Yes, there’s a law.
Yes, I wear one.
I do so because that’s how I was raised - my parents wouldn’t put the car into drive unless everybody was buckled, and I’ve continued the practice.
- yes
- Yes
3.a)neither. I don’t really care about it being a law, its not like it would be the first law I ever broke. Nor does it make me feel any safer(though I suppose I am safer). I buckle up because my parents(well, my mom at least) made me everytime I rode in the car as a kid and now it’s a habit. I don’t really think about it. - no, not really. I think people should have the right to endanger themselves.
OK. First, I’m not denying that out of the tens of thousands of serious accidents, there are some where wearing a seatbelt has contributed to a person’s death. And I would agree that there are some where a person was “saved” by not wearing a seatbelt. But let me ask you a question if I may.
Let’s say that I am a rich eccentric. I select 100 people and tell them to pick a red coupon or a green coupon and write their name on the coupon. I then collect all of the coupons and put them in a hat. I then pick 20 red coupons and 40 green coupons out of the hat. I then give $1 million to everyone whose coupon was selected. So 20 people who selected a red coupon get $1 million and 40 people who selected a green coupon get $1 million.
I now tell you that I’m going to do the exact same thing a second time and you are aware of the results of the first giveaway. Also, one of your friends selected a red coupon in the first giveaway and won $1 million. I now offer you a red or green coupon as part of my second giveaway.
So my question Silver Fire, is which color coupon would you pick and why?
1)yes its the law here in AK (welll maybe not statewide but in this one pony town)
2)absolutely
3)yes i do feel safer. did you ever see the video(one of those real-video shows) where a cop is pulling over a car for speeding?anyhow the car suddenly loses control and starts rolling and rolling. both occupants are ejected,it wasn’t a pretty sight-seeing that was enough to convince me. now, i’ve been in a roll-over once,nothing quite that serious. but the belt did prevent serious injury-i’m sure.
4)undecided/torn on that one
**
- Is it a law where you live that you have to wear your seatbelt?**
Yes, in the front seat.
** - Do you?**
Yes, and generally speaking, so does anyone who rides with me. Occasional exceptions made for adults (never for children) in the back seat, which is almost never since my back seat is generally covered in dog fur. Hell, I have a modified harness that I use so my dog effectively has a seat belt.
**
3a) If yes, do you because it’s a law, or because you believe it makes you safer?**
Safety only.
** - If you do have such a law, do you agree with it?**
Yes and no. No, because if people are going to do stooopid things to endanger themselves only, I don’t think the government should get involved. Yes, because one could make the argument that wearing a seat belt keeps you in front of the steering wheel in the event of an accident (at least some accidents), so by not wearing one you are more likely to lose control and endanger someone else.
I figure I have a 50/50 chance no matter what.
And this figure came from…? Sound like saying there are two possibilites (dead and not dead) so the chances of each are 50%.