Seatbelt Laws Suck

Over Memorial Day weekend law enforcement across the country took part in the “click it or ticket” campaign, issuing tickets to unbuckled motorists. Why is it the government’s job to protect me from myself? I have no problem with laws that penalize adults who fail to buckle children. If I am in an accident and am injured or killed because I was not wearing a seatbelt that was the consequence of my actions. I could also be injured or killed while wearing my seatbelt. There is no direct impact on the public whether I am wearing it or not.

But I have a big problem with police being able to use a driver’s lack of seat belt use as a basis to initiate a traffic stop which can lead to the officer finding evidence of other crimes. I routinely speak with clients that are facing felony drug charges from traffic stops that began as a failure to wear their seatbelt.

I routinely wear my seatbelt on the highway and in bigger cities but I want that choice to be my own, free from concern whether my decision will result in a roadside interrogation simply because I chose not to wear it.