I’ve been hearing news lately that several states may institute policy changes regarding seat belt laws. Instead of being liable for a fine should you be stopped for something else first and it is found that you failed to buckle up; it could soon be policy that a motorist can be pulled over by the police for the sole purpose of not wearing a seatbelt.

I understand the contention surrounding such laws. The federal government seems to feel the need to protect us at the cost of our civil liberties.

First of all, let me start by stating one simple fact. Seatbelts do save lives! There are many people under the impression that seatbelts can preclude your escape during a fire. I’ve been working in the field of EMS for almost fifteen years, and only twice have I ever seen vehicles that were involved in a wreck burst into flames. Unfortunately, many more times, I have seen severe head, chest, and abdominal injuries when an unrestrained driver or passenger smashes into the steering wheel or dash board traveling at 50mph.

But I digress. While I believe that there needs to be limits on how much our government is allowed to play concerned parent, traffic safety laws, in my opinion, are not anywhere near stringent enough. When you don’t require passengers in your car to wear safety belts, they are at the mercy of whatever bad habits you practice while commuting. While you may feel yourself to be a decent driver, just take a look around (quickly!) while traveling on I95 in Maryland or 76 through Philly. For every ‘good’ driver on America’s roads, there are many more that are distracted, rushed, or just plain inconsiderate. Think about it! How complicated is it to use your turn single? This isn’t just a question of thoughtfulness, but of safety also. Yet I can travel the whole day and see very few blinking lights.

Another consideration when regarding seatbelt laws are young and inexperienced drivers. Surely you want the law on your side when it comes to the safety of your teenaged driver. I believe that 16 year old minors lack the maturity and perspective on fate to handle a vehicle safely. Simply put, dying is the last thing on their minds.

Many may feel that an individual’s personal safety is not an issue for the federal government to be legislating. But severe head injuries are a great cause of death and disability. If fact, they can be the cause of an overall decline in the quality of life, and a life long dependence on others. At this point, does it not become the government’s problem?

Thank you for reading.