The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

EDITORIAL: Minnesota seat belt laws should not be more strict

Seat belts save lives, there is no questioning that. It has been statistically proven over and over that seat belts cut down on the amount of harm caused by car collisions.

But people don’t need the government to tell them that. Minnesota mandates all drivers and passengers in the front seat of a vehicle must wear a seat belt or face a fine of $25. Police officers may not issue seat-belt tickets unless they first spot another moving violation, such as speeding.

Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is proposing legislation that would allow officers to stop drivers simply for not wearing a seat belt.

This is going too far.

Story continues below advertisement

There is no reason the government should have this much say in whether a person is buckled up. People should wear seat belts, because they do save lives. But nobody should be forced to do so.

Not wearing a seat belt is dangerous, but so are a lot of things. The government could spend all of its time imposing regulations on all the harmful things in this country, but it is better off staying out of an individual’s life.

Ventura’s stance on this issue has dramatically changed in the past week. He used to be against what he called “legislating stupidity.” Unfortunately, he turned his back on this ideology. This is another example of the government wasting time debating an issue that goes against one of the fundamental rights of being an American – an individual having the right to choose the life he or she wants to lead.

Police officers also will have to waste time actually looking for people who aren’t buckled up. The proper solution is to focus on continuing the education of the dangers of not wearing a seat belt. The government should not try to force more laws telling people how to live their lives.

There are warnings everywhere along highways and in classrooms indicating the need to wear a seat belt. People know the risks involved. The government shouldn’t waste time protecting people who don’t listen.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

The Spectator intends for this area to be used to foster healthy, thought-provoking discussion. Comments are expected to adhere to our standards and to be respectful and constructive. As such, we do not permit the use of profanity, foul language, personal attacks or the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous. The Spectator does not allow anonymous comments and requires a valid email address. The email address will not be displayed but will be used to confirm your comments.
All The Spectator Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
EDITORIAL: Minnesota seat belt laws should not be more strict