Every day we take chances in the world.
Every step, every breath, every second that goes by is a moment, a decision, which we have made. We take a chance when we cross the street, when we fly in a plane and when we get behind the wheel of a car. We never know what can happen, so we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
We tend not to think of the safety precautions, such a seat belts, that have been established and are routinely followed. In fact, we take these inventions for granted, most of them. Meanwhile, "safety" laws are put into place for our own good, reminding us why we have these precautions to begin with.
However, said measures are only as good as the law-abiding citizens who follow them.
In Indiana, residents have been avoiding the mandatory seat-belt law in their sport utility vehicles by registering their vehicles as trucks. Current Indiana law states that belts do not have to be worn in vehicles registered as trucks. As a way around the law that mandates seat-belt use, many SUV owners are upgrading their registration for a minimal fee.
People are essentially going through all of that effort just to put themselves at a bigger risk.
Seat belts have long been an item of debate for citizens. Many critics of recent laws argue that law enforcement should not have the control to stop a car for a passenger not wearing a seat belt. Some counter that it is not wrong, just in the best interest of those riding in the vehicle.
Forget the law: there's really no reason NOT to wear a seat belt.
It is well-known that belts are important; we have all heard the stories and lessons before. Law or not, the odds are certainly more in favor of passengers who buckle up than of those who do not. You are certainly more likely to find a buckled-in passenger speaking about a life-saving experience in an accident than to find a non-fastened survivor.
You are surrounded by (and included in) the biggest group of perpetrators, too. Of all the 18 to 34-year-old drivers and passengers killed or severely injured in 2001, 66 percent were not wearing their seat belts, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.
Sixty-six percent.
Will you be part of the statistic?
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