In my home state of Minnesota, where we are constantly bombarded with lame-ass "Click It Or Ticket" TV commercials, where Law Enforcement agencies routinely hold "saturation" efforts to induce seat belt compliance, the StarTribune posted an article today that "44 Percent Of Crash Fatalities Were Unbelted."
First off, I'm on record as saying that when it comes to what transpires within my vehicle, the state should STFU and mind their own business [totalitarianism, cough, cough].
Second, I hate the arrogantly absurd supposition that the state cares whether I die on the roads or not. They don't, nor should they. The reason Minnesota likes seat belt legislation, the reason they're "driving Minnesota toward zero traffic deaths," isn't because of some paternal interest in your dumb ass, it's simply financial: seat belt violations offer an easy road to revenue. I hate it when government lies like that.
Years ago, I used to get ticketed for having car windows tinted too dark. Cops always said that the law was there for my own safety. Bullshit. I routinely wore sunglasses darker than my windows. The truth was, it was for the cops safety. They don't like the idea of blindly approaching a vehicle where someone is inside loading a handgun to shoot them for being pricks. I get that. Just call it what it is and don't say it's for my safety.
Back to the 44 percent of crash fatalities. By my Minnesota public school math, that means that 56 percent of crash fatalities were wearing a seat belt. So, I should wear a seat belt to join the 56 percent? May we please examine our facts again?.
"We've made great progress to improve the state's seat-belt use, yet in many parts of the state motorists are making the poor choice to travel unbelted, and they are paying the ultimate price for taking that risk," Donna Berger, acting director of the state's Office of Traffic Safety, said in a statement accompanying release of the data.
"Poor choice" Donna? Wake up dear, your own statistics don't bear you out.
So what's the deal? Are seat belts worth wearing? I guess they are, if simply to avoid entering the revenue stream of "Click It Or Ticket."
A side note to all Law Enforcement Agencies in Minnesota: I'm sick of seeing your dumbass ads on TV reminding all us lowly citizens to obey the rules. Perhaps you should stop your marketing efforts and concentrate and policing your own rank and file. Have you paid attention to the newspapers this past year? Your profession is liberally littered with crooked, corrupt members. Worry about that, and not whether I'm wearing a seat belt.
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I'm a firm believer in seatbelts but don't think anyone should be required to wear them. The Click It or Ticket stuff is pushed on them by the Feds. They lose funding if they can't provide an adequate compliance rate. Which I'm sure they lie about anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe Feds care because the insurance companies paid the congressmen to pass the laws. The insurance companies aren't that concerned about your death but they they hate paying for your injuries.
I really hate airbags and now they're sticking them all over the damn car because people don't wear their seatbelts. Insurance companies like airbags because they reduce injuries and they cost a fortune to replace. You blow off two airbags in a minor accident and they can declare your car totaled. Then they make a fortune from selling a relatively good car for parts and maybe get to charge you a higher rate when you buy a brand new car. Oh, and because the new car has a zillion airbags they get to raise your rates to compensate for replacement costs.
Everyone who renews their driver's license should be subjected to a 30 minute videogame simulator, with the handling characteristics of their vehicle dialed in. If folks knew how to drive, we wouldn't need cars that did all of our thinking for us.
Mr.Cat what you said above is equally true in Britain. The only time I got hurt in any way after a car collision was when wearing a seat belt.
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly I was hit from behind by a half wit who thinks wearing a seat belt means that you can drive like an idiot.
Did you know that you are more likely to suffer a broken collar bone when in an accident while wearing a seat belt than when not doing so?