The seemingly never-ending reach of the law was curbed Tuesday in Kansas as lawmakers in Topeka effectively shot down House Bill 2130, which would have made not wearing a seat belt a “primary violation.”
That means police officers could have pulled drivers over for not wearing their seat belts, and it would have resulted in a $60 fine that wouldn’t have went on a driving record as a moving violation.
As the law currently stands, a seat belt violation is a “secondary” offense that can be ticketed for only if the motorist has committed another infraction.
Prior to Tuesdays decision, the bill was alive and waiting in a conference committee, The Wichita Eagle reported Wednesday.
A vote of 62-57 prevented the bill from leaving the committee and going to the floor for an up-or-down vote.
It would have required 63 votes to make it that far.
“It’s dead for the year,” said Rep. Pat Colloton (R-Leawood) in the Eagle report.
I am glad it is dead for the year.
We as a state don’t need the government to force us to make smart decisions. This state as a whole is more intelligent than that. Give us some credit.
“Big Brother” doesn’t need to make decisions for us. If someone doesn’t want to wear his or her seat belt, that is his or her decision.
It is natural selection. If someone is stupid enough to not take safety measures when ridding in or driving a vehicle and something tragic happens, that is that person’s fault.
The seat belts are in the car. It is the responsibility of those within the vehicle to use the safety equipment provided.
I don’t always wear my seat belt, but that is my choice. If something happens, I won’t blame someone else. It was my fault that I didn’t put the seat belt on.
Following an accident I’m not going to sit there and ask why the government didn’t enforce common sense $60 at a time to prevent the injuries I incurred. Instead, I will think about what a stupid decision I made.
The problem with our society today is that common sense isn’t required because someone else will make those important decisions for us, and I think that is a travesty.
How sad of a situation are we in that the government has to force us to do something that will save our lives and potential the lives of others?
It is ridiculous and unnecessary. We need to stop breeding a culture of brain-dead sheep that only do what they are told.
People need to learn to think for themselves and make proper decisions or pay the consequences.
Passing such legislation, even if it would have made Kansas eligible for nearly $13.2 million in transportation funding as The Eagle reported, doesn’t help our state in the long run.
It just makes Kansas more dependent upon the teat of the state when we should be progressing enough to be self sufficient.
Less government is more, especially when it involves intervening upon individuals’ rights of decision making and their daily lives.
For example, how many people in rural towns, whether it is the smart decision or not, buckle up just to run to the grocery store or go to coffee at the corner store?
Probably not many, and The Eagle report said some rural legislators worried if the law had been passed it would be used to target rural drivers making short journeys.
I agree it could be misused, but for me the greater issue is allowing people to have the right to make their own decisions.
I didn’t agree with The Eagle report’s random suggestion that pulling people over for the lack of a buckled seat belt could be used as racial profiling.
What?
How in the world can you racially profile based upon seat belt usage? That’s asinine.
I firmly believe seat belt usage, or lack there of, crosses any and all racial boundaries. Making decisions that aren’t the best can’t be attributed to one type of person. Stupidity is an equal opportunity characteristic that anyone can carry within their personality.
It just comes down to the fact that we don’t need to be told what to do. People need to be able to make their own decisions, regardless of how unwise it might be.
I don’t support not wearing seat belts, but I support peoples’ rights to decide for themselves whether they are going to wear them or not.
