It’s no surprise that the annual attempt to get the Kansas Legislature to pass a primary seat-belt bill has run into trouble. Despite heartbreaking House testimony this week, many lawmakers remained unpersuaded that officers should be able to stop and ticket drivers for no other reason than being unbelted — though 72 percent of those who died in Kansas traffic accidents from 2001 to 2005 weren’t buckled up, and the Kansas Highway Patrol and other state agencies want the tougher law.
Not even having gone through a windshield in an accident changed the mind of state Rep. Vince Wetta, D-Wellington, who spoke for many Kansans when he said, “I come from a time you didn’t tell me what to do when driving a car.”
Still, lawmakers should keep trying to hike the current $10 fine for not wearing a seat belt, and do something about unbuckled teens.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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41 Comments
I agree with a Democrat- this is going to be a strange day. :)
I wear my seatbelt – all the time – but I’m tired of all the little bills, rules and regulations that are increasingly monitoring us to make sure we’re doing what’s good for us.
Does it save lives? Sure, it does, but more and more we have groups banning smoking – even for the owner of the restaurant in his own back office, banning children from drinking soda at school, groups who want to tax butter and fattening foods….and on and on.
Give us the information. Tell us how much safer/healthier we will be, but stop forcing the giant Insurance Industry’s, Big Brother, tactics to turn us into brainless automatons.
As if Cops didn’t have anything better to do.
Oh wait – maybe they don’t….
I don’t care if people don’t wear seatbelts, so as long as their children do and the smalls ones are correctly and saftely secured in a child and infant seat.
I for one always wear my seatbelt as a habit. I don’t feel right without one.
Although I don’t usually wear one if I’m a passenger in the back seat, but I should.
Talking on a cell phone while driving is, in my opinion, the #1 dangerous driving habit. Every day, I see cell phone users drive through red lights, tailgate and actually become involved in accidents. Last Sunday, an accident occured near the Waco Street main postoffice in which I suspect both drivers were talking on cellphones. Don’t know if they were using seatbelts.
So why isn’t some kind of legislation passed prohibiting cellphone usage while driving? Could it be that so many people do this including law makers?
JWink, what about smoking, drinking (soda,coffee), eating, puting on make-up, whopping the kids, singing, listening to the radio or stereo or whatever.
I’m not questioning your mobile phone legislation, just wondering what do you think about the other distractions that people do in their automobiles besides mobile phones.
I once saw Nola Foulston (or could have swore that is looked like her) driving with a mobile phone in one had and a cigarette in the other.
Nola Foulston smokes? I didn’t know that. I figured she wouldn’t, having MS, and all. Learn something new everyday.
People do so many crazy things while driving, but cell phones DO seem to be one of the more dangerous.
Some fat people are uncomfortable wearing seat belts.
Co you remember those ‘automatic’ seat belts they used to make? I wonder how many folks got yanked out of their cars by them. You opened your driver’s door to look behind you on the ground, or look at anything, and that belt would quickly slide back and choke you – or pull you out. I had one in a Thunderbird. Hated it.
Let’s hear it for the Kansas Legislature!! They have the courage to reaffirm the idea of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!! It is NOT the government’s job to protect us from ourselves.
If the safety crats were serious about ’saving lives’, they would outlaw smoking (400,000 deaths per year); have mandatory heart checkups (700,000 deaths per year); mandatory cholesterol screening, etc.
Nope..we do NOT WANT more nanny laws! Thank you to our legislators who stood up to this big brother mentality that is taking over.
Its funny that all these nanny state laws that get proposed or passed are done so at the behest of the small goverment republicans
Sometimes, I stand on the top rung of my ladder – even though the safety label CLEARLY says not to do so.
Sometimes, operate my drill without eye protection.
Sometimes, I run with scissors.
Where’s the outrage? Where’s the government intervention? HELLLPPP! I obviously need protection from myself.
Nice try, Dingus. Care to back that up with FACTS? Let us take one example, California’s seat belt law. Introduced by a Democrat (Richard Floyd, D-Carson). Changed to a primary infraction by Willie Brown (D-San Francisco). Passed in both cases by a Democratic controlled legislature.
Same thing in New Jersey. Same thing in Illinois.
Care to back up your false claim with a few FACTS there, Dingus? Or, are you just going to make the assertion and walk away without any proof whatsoever?
Sometimes, I stand on the top rung of my ladder – even though the safety label CLEARLY says not to do so.
Sometimes, operate my drill without eye protection.
Sometimes, I run with scissors.
Where’s the outrage? Where’s the government intervention? HELLLPPP! I obviously need protection from myself.
Posted by: KSGolfnut | February 17, 2007 at 09:41 AM
LoL funny they care about the rest of us doing those things! I would take it personal if I was you!Have a good one bud!
Strap the kids in and crack down on things that endanger others – cell phones etc. I wear my belts but don’t really care if other consenting adults do or not.
I am pleased that the attempt to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense has failed.
They SHOULD repeal the law making it a primary offense for kids not to be buckled in.
Really JR? You don’t think that the law should mandate belting kids in? Why?
Actually, for certain people, I ADVOCATE that they drive without wearing a seatbelt.
That having been said, however, to mandating seatbelts or motorcycle helmets for adults is ridiculous.
My pet peeve is motorcycle helmet laws. Yes helmets can save lives but they can also making the safe operation of a motorcycle difficult by restricting hearing, interfering with peripheral vision and generally being uncomfortable, especially in hot weather.
The argument, however, is two phased (two faced?) as to what the government should do for us and what it actually does.
Debate this point – if government should NOT mandate the use of seatbelts for adults, why should the use of marijuana be illegal?
Mark the calendar..this is one time I actually agree with WSClark. However, I don’t go along with the blanket idea that helmets save lives. After all, 57.2% of the motorcycle fatalities in 2005 (according to NHTSA.gov) WERE wearing helmets at the time. Additionally, NHTSA “estimates” that helmets might have helped in a little over 30% of the remaining crashes.
As such, whether helmets or seat belts, I fail to see why we allow the government to selectively protect us from ourselves.
Our government should not ever be in the business of being nanny and protecting us from ourselves. If we roll over and allow that, what is next? Outlawing sky diving? Skiing? Bicycling? Walking? These are not ridiculous claims..after all, will you trust the government on where to stop protecting us from ourselves? I don’t.
Jeez, Raptor, this is a red letter day!
You raise a good point – where is it going to stop?
No high heels for women?
No hot chili peppers?
No scary movies?
No whipped cream on your sundae?
No skateboarding without handrails?
Outlander
No I do not think the law should mandate belting kids in. There isn’t any particular reason why. I just don’t think it should be law.
But that wasn’t exactly what I said.
I said it should not be a primary offense. Meaning that if a cop has nothing other than that to pull you over, they should not be doing it.
WSClark,
“Actually, for certain people, I ADVOCATE that they drive without wearing a seatbelt.”
I’d add disconnect the air bag, bolt sharp spikes to the center of the steering wheel, etc.
Maybe then they’d drive more carefully, and responsibly?
I live here in frozen Vermont, about 100 yards from New Hampshire. NH does NOT have a seatbelt law except for those under 18. Last I noticed, they weren’t dropping like flies over there. I think most people wear their seat belts. (you would too if you saw how we drive up here!) When Connecticutt went to primary stops for seatbelt laws a few years ago, my husband and a friend were both ticketed even though they were wearing their belts. Fun tidbit for you- if you are a passenger and a licensed driver, YOU get the ticket, not the driver. Isn’t it great that you can get a ticket without even being behind the wheel!!!
Shhhhhh….. Raptor- don’t discourage motorcycle helmets. They keep them intact long enough for us to notify the New England Organ Bank that they have some nice young, healthy organs that need a new home.
I am assuming, WSU, that you have some FACTS to back up your witty repartee? I have a personal stake in this, seeing friends die while wearing helmets, sometimes their deaths have been CAUSED by the helmet.
Care to make light of that?
How about some hard facts? Like the NHTSA facts that show almsot 60% of motorcycle fatalities in 2005 WERE WEARING helmets.
People are dying and you are making jokes. You make me sick.
Considering Kansas has a supermajority of Republicans in the Legislature and both this seat belt law and the stupid booster seat law were both sponsored by Les Donovan. And you really want me to list all the rules regulations and laws that conservatives have proposed to regulate our lives because it would take up a couple pages. My apologies to raptor for doing things on a Saturday afternoon besides blogging
Raptor. Motorcycles are unsafe with or without helmets. They are called suicycles and donorcycles by the medical team. Harleys are heavy but with a car weighing in around a ton and many larger SUVs in the 3 ton range- the Harley loses no matter what. I am one of the lucky ones that gets to sit down in the ‘privacy room’ and break the news to the poor families. When one rides a bike, there are certain unescapable risks. Helmets make a difference in lower speed crashes but in the higher speed crashes they really don’t seem to do anything other than keep the brain stem alive long enough to make some good come of the situation. Lack of experience and testosterone poisoning seem to be the biggest issues that I’ve seen. I’ve heard more than a few times- ‘He just got his motorcycle license last week’ and the kid was driving the Crotch Rocket of Hell.
“He just got his motorcycle license last week’ and the kid was driving the Crotch Rocket of Hell.”
That is what happens when you can buy a 175 hp motorcycle right out of the box at your local Honkawisukha dealer, with no training and just a couple thousand dollars for a down payment.
Actually MC crashes are generally caused by inattevave auto drivers not by motorcyclists. As for helmets being safer therefore necessitating legislation there are pro and cons to helmet, among other problems are that helmet restrict peripheral vision and on long rides helmets are hot and cause fatigue causing accidents
Dingus- You are absolutely right. Car on motorcycle is more prevelant than motorcycle on car or solo accidents. However, it doesn’t matter that you had that right of way when the Suburban meets the cycle. The law of gross tonnage will defeat you. To bring this back to the original thread…… laws that focus in on a single safety measure as some sort of Holy Grail don’t serve us well. Everyone pats themselves on the back and goes home without looking at the other 50 issues that are contributing to accidents. Selling a teen a helmet with his death cycle doesn’t address the real issue and seatbelt laws only do so much. He was awake 26 hours, smoking, talking on a cell phone and adjusting his iPod when he hit the retaining wall but, by golly, he had his damn seatbelt on!
solution is simple – just legalize chain-whipping the car/truck/suv driver when he cuts of a biker. That might teach them some respect.
I think the best way to settle this is this way:1. Require all children under 16 to be in belts. They don’t have a choice.2. As for those over 16, pass a law stating that belt use is optional BUT require insurance rates be set at 25% lower for those who agree to use them and state that, if you agree and take the 25% lower rate and you are injured in an accident while unbelted- whether your fault of another person’s fault- you can recover NO medical cost and you cannot sue the other driver for medical cost or injuries.
At some time you have to give Darwin’s theory a chance. I know that lots of people in my home state of Kansas do not believe in Darwin but I do. He was 100% right in his theory that a species- whether animal or human- is weakend when its weakest and stupidist members are kept alive and allowed to reproduce more stupid people. I would be better to allow people to drive with no seatbelts, ride with no helmet and smoke 4 packs of cheap unfiltered cigarettes a day while on a steady diet of whoppers and Big Macs. Oh, and teenagers that like to race and drink bottles of cough syrup. The sooner these people die, the less they are able to reproduce and the stronger the human race becomes.
Kev- confession time. Our ER switchboard has two signs on it. You Can’t Cure Stupid and The Tree of Life is Self-pruning. There are those who we marvel have avoided self-selection. Most of the self-selection attempts involve alcohol but that is another thread somewhere else.
it is simply amazing every one of us have made it to adulthood with all these potential killers out there.
I really hope my government will take away all accident potentials.
running with scissors should be outlawed.
driving with cellphones…tell me how do you SUSPECT they were on the phone?
I don’t think the cell phone thing is that bigof deal, itjust depends on who is using it.
kev they already have somewhat laws like that. You can still sue for damages, but if you contributed to your own injuries by not using the safety equipment available, you don’t get nearly as much.
Driving is a privilege. The government tells you that you need a driver’s license and insurance to do it, but you don’t complain (much) about that. If you don’t like wearing your seatbelt, don’t ride in or drive a car.
Ever think about the long term effects of not wearing a seatbelt?? How about everytime somebody gets in a crash, gets ejected, partially ejected, severely injured, etc because they were NOT wearing a seatbelt, they spend weeks and weeks in a hospital, which raises our health insurance. Then their $25,000 vehicle is totaled out by the car insurance company and their insurance company pays out medical bills, so now everybody’s insurance rates go up.
I know a guy who got in a wreck last week, not wearing his seatbelt, rolled his car one time, was partially ejected and now has a spinal cord injury. The doctors said he’ll be in the hospital (WITHOUT going home even once) for at least 6 weeks. He said he learned his lesson this time about wearing a seatbelt. Pretty sad it takes that much injury, damage, pain, etc. to teach someone a simple lesson that takes half a second to do.
I’ve always worn a seatbelt so I don’t fear this primary law where cops could stop me for not wearing one. It won’t happen. It’s like tying my shoes – it’s just something I do without even thinking about it.
Again, if you don’t like the rules of the road, don’t drive a car, don’t ride in a car, don’t ride a motorcycle, etc. Either get a bicycle (which also must obey certain laws) or move to a sod house in the middle of a forest in Montana.
Oh yeah, and I guess the government should stop telling people to stop at red lights too, huh? That’s infringing on my rights. I don’t have time to stop so I’ll just take the risk!!
Liberal pansies.
People over 35 should be dead. Here’s why:
According to today’s regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, or even maybe the early 70’s probably shouldn’t have survived.Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint.We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, … and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we took hitchhiking.)As children, we would ride in cars with no seatbelts or air bags.Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors!We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.No one was able to reach us all day. NO CELL PHONES!!!!! U n t h i n k a b l e !We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, DVD’s, surround sound, personal cell phones, personal computers, or Internet chat rooms.We had friends!We went outside and found them.We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt.We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us. Remember accidents?We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment!Some students weren’t as smart as others, so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Horrors!Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected.The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law.Imagine that!This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever.The past 100 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.Congratulations…so far…so good!Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good !!!!!
I’m thinking WSU Grad in Exile uses humor to get through the day. It’s probably the only way he/she? can stay sane.
I’m a she. You are on the money. You have to laugh or cry. Wiseman left out our favorite childhood activity- building jump ramps for our bikes. Remember Evil Kenivel (sp?) We had more broken bones than him. I broke my freaking pelvis! Social services would have taken us away had we been born 30 years later.
Laws like that lead us to tyranny. It’s not a whether seat belts are helpful or useful, it’s whether you can go about your life as you choose. By the way, the one guy wanted to force insurance companies to give a 25% discount to wearers of seat belts. Thats just as dumb. Isn’t that saying the government should decide how to do things? Where is the economic freedom in that idea.
Laws like that lead us to tyranny. It’s not a whether seat belts are helpful or useful, it’s whether you can go about your life as you choose. By the way, the one guy wanted to force insurance companies to give a 25% discount to wearers of seat belts. Thats just as dumb. Isn’t that saying the government should decide how to do things? Where is the economic freedom in that idea.
Welcome, WSU Grad. It’s good to see more estrogen in the mix. ;)
I’m wondering how many of you who are against this law quickly switch gears and applaud our government when they interfere in a woman’s right to choose. BTW, I disagree with this proposed law, although I always wear my seatbelt.
I’m wondering how many of you who are against this law quickly switch gears and applaud our government when they interfere in a woman’s right to choose. BTW, I disagree with this proposed law, although I always wear my seatbelt.