first of all, good data. here in VA, they even limit the teen with nighttime hours as well. they see the judge before they get the final clearance for full fledge license.
as a parent, i do limit my child with only 1 person in the car w/her. they are correct that distractions are so much and they don’t look enough. i go far as to tell my daughter, no text or cell phone usage while driving the car. if you have to, pull over and then use it!
The simple truth is that some elements of society have allowed the importance and focus on driving an automobile to deteriorate. For some people it’s all about them and to hell with worrying about who they might injure or kill. They want to drive fast, not use a seatbelt, play with mindless text messages, talk on the cell phone, put make-up on, read, eat.
Since reasonable efforts don’t seem to work, perhaps it’s time for something more draconian. Cars should be designed not to start unless occupants in the front seat are belted. In addition, the engine should not operate if the belts are dis-engaged after the car is started. Belt not secured ….. car won’t operate. We have to stop playing games with people who will never change. It’s a waste of time, effort, and resources.
that is the best idea I’ve heard in a while; I am sure the insurance industry, MADD and many other groups would support that proposal. I have no problem with wearing a seatbelt but coupling the belt with the ignition and operation of the motor would make it impossible for idiots to do the wrong thing!
Industry has tried the same with with forklifts and people do just what wudchuck asked after – they buckle the belt behind the back of the seat or they sit on it to fool the system. No matter what you so somebody will figure out a way around it. That’s not saying that tying the seatbelts to an interlock is not a worthwhile idea, just that it’s been tried before and doesn’t work with the people who don’t want to wear seatbelts.
The only thing I can think of right now involves a lot of sensers installed in the seats to determine mass and how much seatbelt should be played out for a given mass. Too complicated and I’m sure somebody would defeat it.
Parents have to teach the habit at a young age and have to follow it too.
However, I know from experience, that you can teach a teen what is best, but that does not mean that they will do it. Driving is a privilege and you have to be prepared to take that privilege away when it is abused.
ur are so correct, it is a priviledge. NOT A RIGHT!
i have problems when the courts reduce drunk driving or habitual offender repeatedly gets a reduced charge or gets off. i know that in one state, they can have as many duis as they want, and still have insurance! of course, because the money is going to be the states money. (This happens to be in NC.)
we just need to have a law enforcement and the court system to finally stand up and state the facts and hold the drivers accountable. if they don’t wear a seatbelt in the crash, allow the industry to reduce the medical payment because they could have prevented some of the physical damage to their bodies. they do this overseas.
Once again, I only allow my daughter one person in the car at a time. Which is fine with her, seeing that she spends most of her time on the back seat anyway:)
Mike, let’s go with every sensor but that last one.
wudchuck – you’ve got a great sense of humor. I don’t know too many parents that could make that joke. Fantastic!
Ultimately it comes down to personal responsibility. There’s nothing in modern technology that would safely take care of the problem that could not easily be defeated. The answer lies in cars that drive themselves and/or eliminating private transportation altogether. Since I’m not really for either of those I guess I get to wait for people smarter than I to generate a solution.
Seems to me that the article says they don’t wear them at night. Why in heck would these same people wear seat belts only during the day? Kinda cleans out the gene pool though.
well, i see someone likes to use my name…i don’t like making cracks about my daughter like that….so, pls try to infur about ur own daughter and not mine…
lastbat, i love my daughter, but wud not put her in that context.
At the current rate of deteriorating personal responsibility and accountability in this country, it won’t be long until everything is idiot proofed. People are too lazy or stupid not to wear seat belts? No problem. Design something that will protect their sorry asses in spite of themselves. This will only inflate costs for everybody and I for one, dislike having to contribute to a solution I don’t need. We’re on a slippery slope here.
so are you stating that we eventually have automatic belts on pants (especially for those whose pants are being worn underneath rear end showing the underwear?! personally, i wish they new that was rude and disrepectful. i have heard other reasons why that is done but either way — DISGUSTING! i told my daughter on several occassions, she better not bring someone over looking like that.
My son cannot understand why I don’t think showing your underwear is a good fashion statement but he doesn’t use that thing on his shoulders for anything but a hat rack. He is over 21 now and believes that he knows more than anyone, which I assume I must have acted like myself; but I moved out when I left for school so I didn’t have to wear military fatigues to my father’s chagrin; this kid is not likely to leave the nest and has no idea what people think about him. As for idiot proofing anything, I mentioned to him that was what I needed to do to keep him out of trouble but he still didn’t get it….
first of all, good data. here in VA, they even limit the teen with nighttime hours as well. they see the judge before they get the final clearance for full fledge license.
as a parent, i do limit my child with only 1 person in the car w/her. they are correct that distractions are so much and they don’t look enough. i go far as to tell my daughter, no text or cell phone usage while driving the car. if you have to, pull over and then use it!
The simple truth is that some elements of society have allowed the importance and focus on driving an automobile to deteriorate. For some people it’s all about them and to hell with worrying about who they might injure or kill. They want to drive fast, not use a seatbelt, play with mindless text messages, talk on the cell phone, put make-up on, read, eat.
Since reasonable efforts don’t seem to work, perhaps it’s time for something more draconian. Cars should be designed not to start unless occupants in the front seat are belted. In addition, the engine should not operate if the belts are dis-engaged after the car is started. Belt not secured ….. car won’t operate. We have to stop playing games with people who will never change. It’s a waste of time, effort, and resources.
that is the best idea I’ve heard in a while; I am sure the insurance industry, MADD and many other groups would support that proposal. I have no problem with wearing a seatbelt but coupling the belt with the ignition and operation of the motor would make it impossible for idiots to do the wrong thing!
even if we had that it would go off if the seatbelt is removed. would the car give a warning, that w/in 1 minute this car will disengage and shutdown.
but i have seen individuals fool the police, by buckling and then sitting on the belt. what is there to prevent that?
Industry has tried the same with with forklifts and people do just what wudchuck asked after – they buckle the belt behind the back of the seat or they sit on it to fool the system. No matter what you so somebody will figure out a way around it. That’s not saying that tying the seatbelts to an interlock is not a worthwhile idea, just that it’s been tried before and doesn’t work with the people who don’t want to wear seatbelts.
The only thing I can think of right now involves a lot of sensers installed in the seats to determine mass and how much seatbelt should be played out for a given mass. Too complicated and I’m sure somebody would defeat it.
Parents have to teach the habit at a young age and have to follow it too.
However, I know from experience, that you can teach a teen what is best, but that does not mean that they will do it. Driving is a privilege and you have to be prepared to take that privilege away when it is abused.
ur are so correct, it is a priviledge. NOT A RIGHT!
i have problems when the courts reduce drunk driving or habitual offender repeatedly gets a reduced charge or gets off. i know that in one state, they can have as many duis as they want, and still have insurance! of course, because the money is going to be the states money. (This happens to be in NC.)
we just need to have a law enforcement and the court system to finally stand up and state the facts and hold the drivers accountable. if they don’t wear a seatbelt in the crash, allow the industry to reduce the medical payment because they could have prevented some of the physical damage to their bodies. they do this overseas.
Once again, I only allow my daughter one person in the car at a time. Which is fine with her, seeing that she spends most of her time on the back seat anyway:)
I hope the guys she hangs out with “buckle up”
Yea, maybe there should be a sensor that shuts the car down in the middle of the highway at 70 MPH when someone unbuckles the seatbelt.
And maybe there should be retina sensors to make people keep their eyes on the road. And another sensor that shuts down all electronic equipment.
And another sensor that prevents you from eating.
And another sonsor that prevents you from talking to the person next to you.
And another sensor that doenst let you look at wudcucks daughter as shes flashing you as she speeds by.
Mike, let’s go with every sensor but that last one.
wudchuck – you’ve got a great sense of humor. I don’t know too many parents that could make that joke. Fantastic!
Ultimately it comes down to personal responsibility. There’s nothing in modern technology that would safely take care of the problem that could not easily be defeated. The answer lies in cars that drive themselves and/or eliminating private transportation altogether. Since I’m not really for either of those I guess I get to wait for people smarter than I to generate a solution.
Remember theres always the posibility of a more sophisticated airbag as well as cars that can withstand impact better.
We might not have to wear seat belts for all of eternity.
Thanks lastbat, I only WISH I were joking! Once you let the cat out of the bag……
Seems to me that the article says they don’t wear them at night. Why in heck would these same people wear seat belts only during the day? Kinda cleans out the gene pool though.
well, i see someone likes to use my name…i don’t like making cracks about my daughter like that….so, pls try to infur about ur own daughter and not mine…
lastbat, i love my daughter, but wud not put her in that context.
I hate it when people post using others’ screen names. It almost makes me wish we had to register a screen name to post.
To wudchuck not making joke – no offense intended, I hope none taken.
To wudchuck making joke – still a great sense of humor.
At the current rate of deteriorating personal responsibility and accountability in this country, it won’t be long until everything is idiot proofed. People are too lazy or stupid not to wear seat belts? No problem. Design something that will protect their sorry asses in spite of themselves. This will only inflate costs for everybody and I for one, dislike having to contribute to a solution I don’t need. We’re on a slippery slope here.
so are you stating that we eventually have automatic belts on pants (especially for those whose pants are being worn underneath rear end showing the underwear?! personally, i wish they new that was rude and disrepectful. i have heard other reasons why that is done but either way — DISGUSTING! i told my daughter on several occassions, she better not bring someone over looking like that.
My son cannot understand why I don’t think showing your underwear is a good fashion statement but he doesn’t use that thing on his shoulders for anything but a hat rack. He is over 21 now and believes that he knows more than anyone, which I assume I must have acted like myself; but I moved out when I left for school so I didn’t have to wear military fatigues to my father’s chagrin; this kid is not likely to leave the nest and has no idea what people think about him. As for idiot proofing anything, I mentioned to him that was what I needed to do to keep him out of trouble but he still didn’t get it….