The American Spectator

p> CLICKED OFF br> Re: Eric Peters’s Seat Belt Lashes : /p>

I think that Eric Peters missed an obvious point in his article, “Seat Belt Lashes.” Like him, I agree that rapists and murderers are more serious criminals than those who don’t wear seat belts. The reason that policeman should be out there scrambling to write tickets to the “lesser criminals” is that it funds a police force that can more easily capture those horrible criminals when it has more money.

p>Concerning the issue of seat belts, it is incontrovertibly safer to wear a seat belt than to not wear one. His argument that a seat belt could hurt someone is like saying a lifeguard could hurt someone; it is not reason to justify not watching the beach. Only a fool neglects to wear their seatbelt. br> — Adam Jones /p>

I always enjoy reading Eric Peters’s work. I would much more prefer that the state do more about roadway safety. A lot can be done from an engineering standpoint by straightening roads, sight distance, making curves and grades flatter and just painting edges and the middle of the road. These safety measures do not require intrusive compliance except paying a gas tax. In 2004, 44.5 percent of the people killed were wearing seat belts.

p>Getting one and a half persons to wear a seatbelt for their next 100 million miles will still result in a fatality. Making roads safer can be a measure that benefits thousands per road corridor per day even if they are drunk, impaired by lack of sleep or talking on a cell phone. br> — Danny L. Newton