I wear my seat belt because it's the law and because I believe it keeps me safer. Having said that, the statistic cited doesn't help the argument much, does it? If 51% of those killed in accidents were not wearing seat belts, that means 49% WERE wearing them. You can't even definitively say the 2% were saved by seat belts since those who choose not to wear belts are often the youngest (and most accident-prone) drivers and others who engage in risky behavior. I will continue to wear my seat belt, but I'm not going to trust it quite so much any more.

I'm not a big fan of the seat belt laws but I imagine after officers see enough grisly car wrecks with avoidable deaths it would be important to them.
The one thing that I do mind is if they are putting in overtime on this initiative. The last radio commercials I heard started with "Officers are working overtime ... to enforce the seat belt law" I don't know if it meant it literally but it sure could be taken that way. If I'm paying time-and-a-half I don't want them pulling over someone for not wearing a seatbelt. That should be something they do while they're doing something else.
Just my 2 cents.

So - what is the statistic on people having motorcycle wrecks without helmets? To me, it is rediculous to have a seat belt law and not have a helmet law. Personally, I put my seat belt on when I want to and I don't when I don't want to, my vehicles, my choice.

DJHall, I also always wear my seatbelt. The statistic on deaths isn't the complete story. The rest of the story, as I see it, is how many people avoided death or serious injury because they were wearing a seatbelt. Not every accident results in death. How many more deaths would we have if the person went head first into a windshield or was thrown out of the car, for instance. I don't know how they'd measure that as a reportable statistic.

amberjack said it the way it should be! My vehicle, my life, and my choice!! I do the same thing in that I sometimes I wear the seat belt but most of the time I don't. It is the fact that the government shouldn't force safety on anyone. If I want to take the risk it won't make any difference in the outcome of the other persons in the other car involved in the wreck!! Same is true with the motorcycle helmet law. I don't wear a helmet most of the time but sometimes do and always do in the states where it is the law. I don't want the ticket!!

How about a crackdown on women trying to drive and put on makeup and drink coffee at the same time like the one who almost hit me this morning on Brockington? She flies up in the right turn lane so she doesn't have to wait in line like everybody else and then swerves to cut into the left (straight) lane at the light, almost taking off my front fender and was still putting on her makeup in the visor mirror with her right hand! Idiot. Next time I'll hit you, I promise!

'Click It or Ticket' mobilization kicks off May 21 is code for money grab. As with any good intention from our government just becomes a money maker for all levels of government.

do seat belts work when the car rolls if not what good are they ?

do seat belts work when the car rolls ? if not what good are they

This has nothing to do with safety. There is only one reason this law is enforced. The state legislature sold us out for $4,000,000. Not wearing a seat belt was a secondary offense until the federal government said it would pay Arkansas $4 mil to make it a primary offense. So our rights were sold out for $4,000,000. That's about $1.25 per Arkansan. And to get the money they have to issue a certian amount of tickets. Pretty disgusting to lose rights over $1.25. As minor as this is, not only will you get a $25 ticket, you will also get your car searched for good measure. Thank you Democratic Legislature and Democratic Gov.

I always wear my seat belt, the same as I try to obey all other traffic laws. It will always be debatable how much good it would do. None of us has a crystal ball. When my dad, a policeman, was alive, seat belt laws didn't exist yet. He had a fear of seat belts because he had seen accidents where the unbelted person had been thrown clear and survived in an accident that would have burned them alive had they been belted in and unconscious.

Former state representative Buddy Blair's wife was in an accident where she was belted. She would have been burned alive had a truck driver not stopped at the scene and cut her out of the jammed belt.
I'm sure there are just as many stories of people who would definitely have died without their safety belt on.
The insurer of one of the parties in an accident is going to have to pay. If they feel their medical cost is a lot higher because of failure to comply with seat belt laws, I would think there would be quite a rate increase for that.
As for having your car searched in a traffic stop, puh-leeze. I've never had my car searched in 46 years of driving. You have to be acting nervous or suspicious in some way to bring that on.