Today the Montana State Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 237. The bill would have passed a primary seat belt law, which has failed two other times. The bills sponsor, Dave Lewis hoped that the bill would have saved many Montana lives. Yesterday the bill passed by a narrow margin- 25-24, while today three of the idiotic senators changed their vote.
In 2007 the Montana Department of Transportation reported that 73% of the 276 people killed or 201 people, were not wearing seat belts. States that have passed primary seat belt laws, or laws which allow officers to stop a vehicle for not having persons buckled up, have shown a 13% increase in buckling up.
The costs of not wearing a seat belt are felt by all tax and insurance payers. Crash survivors that don't wear seat belts pay approx. $48,700 or more than twice as much as belted survivors ($20,700). According to Tim Schumacher, who represents AAA Montana, the economic cost of crashes in this state it $621 MILLION, or $688 for every state citizen. He added that 74% or $509 Million is paid by those not involved in the crash.
Some of the morons who opposed the bill spoke before the senate. Daniel McGee (Laurel) stated, "I submit to you folks, what you have in this bill: this opens the door to being pulled over for any reason at any time". Another genius, Jonathan Windy Boy (Box Elder) spoke about racial profiling. "Indians do get stopped for a lot of reasons, and I'm going to oppose this bill because I'm not going to give them another reason" moron stated.
The idiots who opposed this bill also screwed Montana citizens out of $5 million from the federal government for highway construction and road safety programs.
Perhaps these morons who oppose safety for Montana citizens should spend some time in local emergency departments, respond on ambulance calls, and talk to first responders who see the carnage and results of not wearing a seat belt. Maybe they should go to the scene of a car crash and see the damage that occurs when a body is slammed against the dash, windshield, and car frame as the unbuckled rider is thrown about. Perhaps they would change their opinion about the law when they saw smashed faces, traumatically amputated limbs, crushed internal organs, and other devastation as the body is thrown from the vehicle.
In 2007 the Montana Department of Transportation reported that 73% of the 276 people killed or 201 people, were not wearing seat belts. States that have passed primary seat belt laws, or laws which allow officers to stop a vehicle for not having persons buckled up, have shown a 13% increase in buckling up.
The costs of not wearing a seat belt are felt by all tax and insurance payers. Crash survivors that don't wear seat belts pay approx. $48,700 or more than twice as much as belted survivors ($20,700). According to Tim Schumacher, who represents AAA Montana, the economic cost of crashes in this state it $621 MILLION, or $688 for every state citizen. He added that 74% or $509 Million is paid by those not involved in the crash.
Some of the morons who opposed the bill spoke before the senate. Daniel McGee (Laurel) stated, "I submit to you folks, what you have in this bill: this opens the door to being pulled over for any reason at any time". Another genius, Jonathan Windy Boy (Box Elder) spoke about racial profiling. "Indians do get stopped for a lot of reasons, and I'm going to oppose this bill because I'm not going to give them another reason" moron stated.
The idiots who opposed this bill also screwed Montana citizens out of $5 million from the federal government for highway construction and road safety programs.
Perhaps these morons who oppose safety for Montana citizens should spend some time in local emergency departments, respond on ambulance calls, and talk to first responders who see the carnage and results of not wearing a seat belt. Maybe they should go to the scene of a car crash and see the damage that occurs when a body is slammed against the dash, windshield, and car frame as the unbuckled rider is thrown about. Perhaps they would change their opinion about the law when they saw smashed faces, traumatically amputated limbs, crushed internal organs, and other devastation as the body is thrown from the vehicle.
Maybe they need to sit in on one of the many Injury Prevention programs that I help with to encourage seat belt use and watch as kids grimace when they see the pictures of mangled bodies. In the program we speak of our co-worker Geoff, who died in a crash after rolling his pickup. Geoff wasn't wearing a seat belt and died of a head injury. Maybe the morons in the state senate need to see the pain in our faces as we talk about Geoff and how he is missed.
Maybe then they will figure out that life is too precious and the law will save lives.
Please wear your seat belt.
References and additional information-
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9797942
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/05/top/65st_090205_seatbelt.txt
http://data.opi.mt.gov/LEGBILLS/2007/Minutes/Senate/Exhibits/jus28aad.pdf
Maybe then they will figure out that life is too precious and the law will save lives.
Please wear your seat belt.
References and additional information-
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9797942
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2009/02/05/top/65st_090205_seatbelt.txt
http://data.opi.mt.gov/LEGBILLS/2007/Minutes/Senate/Exhibits/jus28aad.pdf
