seat belt law constitutional or not i say not takes away your right to choose?

Question

{ FREEDOM AND THE POWER TO CHOOSE SHOULD NOT BE THE PRIVILEGE OF WEALTH. THEY ARE THE BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN} QUOTE BY PRES. GEORGE BUSH
Rightful liberty is unobstructed

the privacy and dignity of are citizens [are] being whittled away by sometimes imperceptible steps taken individually, each step may be of little consequence. but when viewed as a whole, there begins to emerge a society quite unlike any we have seen--a society in which government may intrude into the secrete regions of a [pearson's life."
quoted by JUSTICE WILLIAM . DOUGLAS US SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

Answer 1

Well...it's like this...the roads are built by the government...be it local, state, or federal government. If the federal government contributes grant monies to assist in state funding...then they have a right to dictate the rules.

But it goes further....you see...when you fail to wear your seatbelt and get into an accident, the insurance companies lose money therefore they charge higher rates to compensate for their losses due to you failing to wear a seatbelt causing exorbitant medical costs.

Again...it goes even further....driving upon the roadways is a privilage not a right. You come to my house...you follow my rules! You drive on the state roadways...you follow THEIR rules!

Best wishes.

Answer 2

I have had similar thoughts even though I use a seat belt regularly. Whatever the government imposes on us, I want to be sure of the purpose.

To play devil's advocate, I can find a way to argue all of the arguments above if I choose to.
However, I can not argue against the following: Since it can be shown that a person that is still conscious behind the wheel is in a better position to control their car than someone that has been tossed into the backseat, then they can require seat belts. So, in effect, they are not legislating simply that you wear the seat belt to hinder your enjoyment of driving. They are requiring you to operate your vehicle in the safest known way for the benefit of others. You can argue all day long that it should be your choice to drive without a seat belt and damage yourself, but you don't have the right to operate a vehicle in an unsafe manner on public streets and put other people into a more dangerous situation than what we know can be achieved.

So, buckle up and be happy. The life you save may not only be yours but someone else's as well. Here's a test you can try. Go out and get up to approximatley 70 MPH. Then, simultaneously, slam on the brakes till you get down to 40MPH and jump in the backseat or throw yourself up against the passenger door at 25 MPH. Now, fast as you can, see if you can keep from doing any more damage as you try to regain your senses and bring your car back under control. Good Luck.

Answer 3

Seat belt laws are enacted at a state or municipal level, wherein the government has an obligation to legislate to provide for the safety and welfare of it's citizens. This most likely coincides with the state constitution regardless of where you live, and thus is completely acceptable under the federal constitution which delegates a great deal of authority to the states in regulating its citizens.

Answer 4

There is no a constitutional right to drive without seat belts.

As a matter of fact driving is not a contitutional right, it's a privilege, and to keep you must agree to stick to the law.

If you crash and get hurt the state has to spend a lot of money to recue you and take you to an Emergency Room or Morgue, all costs due to your refusal to wear the belt. Plus they would have to close the roads and keep police officers from doing something better like protecting us from criminals. So they have the right to force you to wear it on public roads.

Answer 5

Not, but supreme court will probably uphold if it ever goes there. The legal basis is that driving is a privalege (sp?) not a right, again as decided by the supreme court. Since it is not a right it can be regualted to death. In fact the consititution gives us the right to travel using "the means of the day." But those dirty lawyers interpret things in whatever way gives them and the government more power to enslave us. Too bad we are all a bunch of mindless wimps unwilling to sacrifice ourselves to take out some SOB that really deserves it.

Answer 6

Seat belt laws are enacted for the "greater good". It's legislation that is enacted to achieve an overall goal of making driving safer (driving is the second highest cause of death in the US, behind abortion).

Abortion advocates would say that legalized abortion is also for the greater good. We can't have young people having gratuitous sex, getting pregnant and not being able to "take care of it", This would be tragic. What happens when all these abortions, performed solely for convenience, can no longer be legal? So, it's for the greater good. It's the right to "choose"

Thank your mother, she was pro-life.

Answer 7

Show me where in the Constitution you're garunteed that right.

If you're in your own driveway, or on your own land, you do have that choice. When you enter the public roadways, you "voluntarily" subject yourself to all the rules the "owner" of the road puts on its use, including speeds, observing traffic signs, taking a breathalyzer, and yes, wearing seatbelts.

Sorry, this argument is a non-starter.

Answer 8

There is no general constitutional right to choose. Seatbelt laws are a valid exercise of the States' general police power.

Answer 9

The decision is ultimately yours, you choose if your life is worth using your seat bealt or not. The HighWay Patrol also has the right to give you a ticket, if you break any law.
I hope you make the right choice!

Answer 10

Hilarious.
Burn down someone else's house, tell the cops you choose to do it, and when they ask where you think you have the "right to choose... tell them you got it from a political speech, and from Bush, no less.
Better yet... stop listening to politicians and pick up a law book.