[ back ]
DEAN'S LIST - 6/1/2008
(by Dean Naddeo - OpEd Columnist - June 01, 2008)
Still not getting the message
By now, most of us are acutely aware that the state is just wrapping up another installment of its ultra-aggressive “Click it or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign. It’s been increasingly difficult to miss their message, as relatively placid towns like Pequannock, Wanaque and Bloomingdale have suddenly become besieged with observable police activity. And the accompanying television, radio and print ads loudly announcing the May 19 through June 1 mobilization period should also have served well to get motorists to wear their belts – or at least one would think so.
Despite law enforcement’s dual-pronged effort to simultaneously educate drivers and penalize violators, there obviously remains scores of motorists who still aren’t getting the very clear message that wearing seat belts prevents serious injuries and saves lives. And although the state claims that New Jersey's seat belt usage rate has risen to an all-time high of 91.4 percent, it is clear that there are certain categories of drivers that will simply never be in full compliance, regardless of the known potential consequences.
One such group consists of youthful drivers: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens have the highest death rate in motor vehicle crashes of any age group. While there are other contributors, a major reason for the high teen death rate is their failure to use seat belts. Sadly, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 16- to 20-year-olds in the US, and nearly two-thirds of the 4,899 who died in car crashes in 2005 were not buckled up.
Facing stiff penalties, and knowing the inherent safety risks, why do countless teenagers continue to go “beltless”? Probably for the same reason many continue to drive fast, use narcotics, smoke cigarettes and engage in unprotected sex – an unjustified sense of indestructibility.
Another apparent holdout to New Jersey’s seat belt laws is the senior citizen, and for a somewhat comprehensible reason; such laws simply did not exist for much of their lives. After driving without restraints for decades, it is very understandable that older motorists may not be in the habit of buckling up every time they get in a car. Unfortunately however, as the general population continues to age, older Americans are increasingly becoming involved in serious motor vehicle accidents, making it more important than ever that this group routinely dons their belts.
There are also other groups out there that may never actually come around, including Libertarian types, who reject wearing their seat belts because they firmly believe that the government has no right to dictate what they do in their own vehicles; individuals who insist that seat belts are simply too uncomfortable to wear; a contingency that argues that seat belts are actually more dangerous because they might trap or decapitate a passenger in an accident; and the brazenly ignorant, who perpetually live by the mantra, “I’m an excellent driver – I’m not going to crash.”
The bottom line is that both objective statistics and case examples clearly indicate that seat belts do effectively save lives and prevent tragic injuries, therefore it is imperative that we all bite the bullet and buckle up. And for the 10 percent or so of New Jersey drivers who still aren’t getting the message – consider those loved ones who stand to lose you, or who will need to spend the rest of their lives paying for, and caring for, your preventable injuries.
[ back ]
