Hillary Clinton Joins Fight for National Seatbelt Law

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 12/10/03 | Susan Jones

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has joined Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) in sponsoring a bill that would establish a national seatbelt law.

The motivating force behind the proposed law, an alliance called Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, said the states are not moving fast enough to pass such a "lifesaving law," and it issued a statement thanking Sens. Clinton and Warner for supporting a bill "which we know is fundamental to increasing belt use in this country."

According to the highway safety advocates, about 79 percent of Americans buckle up on a regular basis - not good enough, they say.

The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety noted that only 20 states and the District of Columbia have "primary" seatbelt enforcement laws, meaning police may stop and ticket motorists simply for failing to buckle up.

Twenty-nine states have secondary seatbelt laws, meaning police may ticket unbuckled motorists only when they're stopped for some other reason.

New Hampshire, which has the slogan "Live Free or Die" on its license plates, has no seatbelt law, the group said.

The Senate bill co-sponsored by Sens. Clinton and Warner would give the states three years to enact a primary seatbelt law - or achieve a seat belt usage rate of at least 90 percent.

States that do not meet either goal would have a small percentage of their Highway Trust Fund monies withheld. This is the same approach Congress used to pressure the states to beef up their drunken driving laws.

Highway and auto safety advocates who are pressing for the national seatbelt law cite the cost associated with non-usage as a motivating factor.

"When people don't buckle up, all of society pays," said Phil Haseltine, president of the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS). "An estimated $26 billion is spent annually on medical and emergency response care, lost productivity and other injury related costs," he said in a press release announcing the introduction of the Senate bill.

But critics of seatbelt laws, including the Libertarian Party, see such laws, enforced with taxpayer money, as an infringement on limited government and personal responsibility.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety describes itself as an alliance of consumer, health, law enforcement and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer.

 

[07055]

If we want safety, we should push for a National Concealed Carry law.

[samtheman]

Will the real Hitlery please stand up.

[CDHart]

I do wish these people would just STFU. Plotting idiocy like this and to add insult to injury, WE pay for it!

Carolyn

[laredo44]

And, of course, the Constitutional power to enact such a law would be the let's see...the power to coin money? No, no. The power to grant patents and copyrights? No. Oh yeah, the unlimited power of a limited government, the frickin power to regulate interstate commerce. What a waste of the founders time Article 1, Section 8 turned out to be.

[Renegade]

The Federal or state government does not legally have any right to create and enforce a law that requires you to wear a seatbelt . Jefferson is spinning in his grave . ( cycle helmets too )They should create a law that will put a muzzle on Hildebeast. This will prevent her from spewing treasonous diatribes about the war in Iraq and the Commander in Chief.

[LandofLincoln]

Forget looking at the Constitution for your answer. I'll bet that it is buried somewhere in the PATRIOT ACT.

[Adder]

"According to the highway safety advocates, about 79 percent of Americans buckle up on a regular basis..."

Gee and achieves without a federal "law", although plenty of fed arm twisting was used to force states to enact seat belt laws.
Its a ridiculous for them to state that "it costs society money" not to use seat belts. Really? How much and where is the proof of such a claim? We have about 82%-85% usage around here[up from 50% before this nanny campaign started] and there has been zero reduction in insurance, we still have the same number of ambulance drivers, patrolmen, etc. Just what has been saved as a society?
I am sure we will "lose" this battle because it just feels good and "if even one life is saved, society is better for it" and all that happy talk.
I agree with the other poster: there's no constitutional provision that, as written, authorizes such a law to be passed but that doesn't matter.
I hope New Hampshire at least continues to tell the feds to stuff it. Wish my state had the stones to do so.

[StriperSniper]

en. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has joined Sen. John Warner (R-Va.)

Freedom under assault from both sides to marginalize any opposition. Obviously if these two can agree on something, only a 'fringe' type could disagree. What did it take, about 15 years to 'slow cook' this frog?

[gridlock]

States that do not meet either goal would have a small percentage of their Highway Trust Fund monies withheld. This is the same approach Congress used to pressure the states to beef up their drunken driving laws.

If any Republican wants to guarantee my vote, and the vote of my three cats, in the next ten elections, he should introduce a bill to make the distribution of the Federal Highway Trust Funds automatic and specifically outlaw this kind of meddling. The Federal Highway Trust Fund mechanism is what has brought us 55mph, seatbelt laws, .08BAC (and falling), seatbelt laws, cycle helmet laws, and a host of other Federal camels noses under the state's tents.

It is time for somebody to remove this power from Congress.

[Dante3]

Just like in the case of Amber Law (which should be handled on state level), I am totally opposed to the federal government getting involved. The real reason for this proposed law is for the federal government to increasingly dictate our lives.

[Dante3]

How can the Federal Government take on yet another law to enforce when then can't even control our borders or deport all the illegal aliens and criminal legal immigrants, most of whom are draining our economy, commiting horrendous crimes including rape and acts of terrorism, and otherwise hurting our quality of life?

[backhoe]

I am totally opposed to the federal government getting involved. The real reason for this proposed law is for the federal government to increasingly dictate our lives.

I agree.

[trebb]

New Federal crime - not wearing a freaking seatbelt.

[FierceDraka]

"There is no tyranny on Earth that cannot somehow be justified by the words 'public safety'." - EvilDave

[LibertarianInExile]

'Primary' enforcement laws are essentially tools for police to pull over anyone they want and search `em.

Q: Why'd the cop pull over the black guy in the white neighborhood?
A: Looked like he didn't have his seatbelt on.

[Looking4Truth]

STFU Hitlery! I'm soooo sure that you wear a seatbelt while you're parading yourself around in limos. We don't need to be protected from ourselves by the likes of you!

[Living Free in NH]

New Hampshire, which has the slogan "Live Free or Die" on its license plates, has no seatbelt law, the group said.

Yeah, but the friggin' libs up hear are doing their best to change that.

I won't back out of my driveway without wearing my seatbelt, but it's MY choice to do so.

[bobjam]

The federal government cannot enforce such a law directly, however it can tie transportation dollars to compliance to this law. That is the way the federal government sets and enforces uniform traffic laws (such as red means stop and green means go). I will grant that the inconsistency of state seat belt laws is at least confusing to motorists who travel around the country (do the kids in the back seat have to be buckled up in this state?)

Now the use of seat belts and helments does protect other drivers. One's chances of surviving a crash are greatly enhanced when wearing a seat belt- in the ecvent of a crash, whether a driver is cited with a traffic infraction or charged with vehicular manslaughter could depend heavily on whether the occupants of the other vehicle were wearing seat belts/helment (as appropriate).

[Ff--150]

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has joined Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) in sponsoring a bill that would establish a national seatbelt law.

Once again I'll be ignored--there are NO TWO POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE UNITED STATES. That's a lie to believe there is, sorry men!