Save lives, but I lost my grandfather because he WAS wearing a seat belt. The government shouldn't be in this.

I have no problem at all with seatbelt laws. Where I live I read about accidents everyday in which someone is killed because they weren't belted in. My resolution??? If you are hurt or killed in an accident and you're not wearing a seatbelt, you and your family lose the right to sue anybody regardless who was at fault. In NV there is a implied consent law. In other words, if you have a licence and a cop thinks they smell alcohol on your breath, if you dont take the test, you forfiet your licence. I think it should be the same for seatbelt and helmet laws. If you think that you are 12 feet tall and made of titanium, then you cant sue ANYBODY when you roll your car because you were stupid and got ejected.

In response to dasuit:I think you should always wear a setabelt. If you are dumb enough to not wear one then you should not be able to sue and also the insurance companies should not pay for your medical bills (which makes our premiums higher). If you want to take the risk, then you need to face the consequences.

The government has a long established right to set laws to keep members of the public safe - against their wishes if need be. A society will only funtion if it's members are reasonably safe. If there's evidence that seat belts can be harmful then more research should be done rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater by not wearing them at all.

A friend of mine has a son that was in an accident and he and 3 others were not wearing seat belts. They had to be airlifted to various hospitals because they were all in such bad shape. The driver was wearing one and he is just fine. Seat belts make a big difference in the outcome of an accident. Being thrown from a CAR AND RUN OVER OR WORSE IS NOT MY IDEA OF A GOOD TIME. SPARE THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD THAT MEMORY. Seat belts are a must . I have no problem with the law being enforced.

Usually, I don't think it's the government's job to protect people from themselves. However, seat belts often protect people in other cars as well. They keep the driver in the car and in control. Because of that, I'm in favor of the law.

I wear a seatbelt. But I do it because it's a good idea, not because it's the law. That said, the one interesting tidbit that the articles never mention is that people who wear seatbelts seem to drive faster and more recklessly than people who are not wearing seatbelts. They ran the survey using go-carts...

Source: Streff FM, Geller ES (1988). "An experimental test of risk compensation: between-subject versus within-subject analyses". Accident; analysis and prevention 20 (4): 277-87.

Winning the war on seatbelts at the cost of the war on drugs? Maybe we need to focus on something more important.

I am in favor of seatbelts although there are few instances when wearing seatbelt causes more injury, still I will prefer to wear it.

Further I agree with Kat that I feel safe whenever I wear a seatbelt.

In response to bernieforprez:That's a valid point too. But at least they might have a shot at winning the war on seatbelts. :)

In response to bernieforprez:Hmmmm. Maybe we could focus on getting out of the War in the Middle East? Tho, I suspect that Bush might be better equipped to handle the war on seat belts.

In response to southboca: The war on seatbelts!!!! I love that! Remember if you outlaw seatbelts, only outlaws will have seatbelts!

Whether or not seat belts save lives and are worthwhile is for each driver, passenger and car manufacturer to look into and decide for themselves. I know I would feel less safe without one.

However, on State owned roads, it's for the State to decide who can and cannot use its property, and if the State decides that, in the interests of safety, those using its roads must have seatbelts fitted, then so be it. I do not think, however, that the law is an invasion of privacy, per se.

In response to mwilltru15:Personally I was aspiring to evil overlord, but as I'm flat out of minions of evil, I guess I'll have to settle for outlaw. Everyone in our family uses them.