During the 66th Legislature in Wyoming, lawmakers will consider a bill that would make seat belt use a primary offense.
Senate File 0011, which is still in the early stages of the legislative process, would give law enforcement the ability to pull a driver over for not wearing a seat belt. Currently in Wyoming, not wearing a seatbelt is a secondary offense, meaning officers can only issue citations if the driver has already been pulled over for a separate offense.
The bill would also increase the fines for not wearing a seat belt. Currently a driver is fined $25 with an addition $10 for each passenger in the vehicle not buckled up. Under Senate File 0011, the fine would be $100 for each person in the vehicle and $200 for anyone age 12 or younger who is not wearing a seat belt or appropriate car seat.
During the Weekday Wakeup on SVI Radio, Duke & Dahl asked listeners if the agreed or disagreed with the bill. Below are their responses.
Support The Bill
“Good bill….in 32 years in law enforcement I only unbuckled two deceased people but I picked up a lot of deceased that were thrown out…seen numerous cases that seat belts saved lives… a fact!!”
“I think it’s a good idea. Do I think you should get a ticket the first time? No, but the second time yes. It takes, what, 3 seconds to put a seatbelt on? Your life and your kids lives are worth that 3 seconds. Put a seatbelt on.”
“Parents who don’t put their kids in seat belts are negligent. I don’t care so much about adults, but anyone under 18 in the car should be required to wear seatbelt. I like the bill.”
“Interesting how we don’t want any law for seatbelts but we don’t wear them without the law either”
“I don’t like the idea of being pulled over for a seat belt but I can see why the Bill is being suggested. The $100 fine would absolutely have me wearing my belt more often.”
“Yes! Make it more strict! There have been too many lives taken.”
Do Not Support The Bill
“No, Absolutely not! It is not a crime to travel without a seatbelt! Let’s keep it that way!”
“If they are so concerned about people’s safety, why is it legal to ride a motorcycle with no helmet? If they are not required to wear a helmet, then they should not require seatbelts to be worn. I have no problem either way. Just make it consistent if your claim is safety.”
“They should focus more on texting and driving. I think it should be persons choice. That bill it’s just showing how the government is taking control of our lives.”
“When is the government going to get the hell out of our lives.”
“I put my seat belt on before I put my vehicle in gear. My decision, not a State mandate. Leave it up to the individual.”
“Why is the government so worried about people’s well being? It must have something to do with money in collecting fines! They don’t push us to wear seatbelts while riding horses or snow machines and four wheelers. And that’s because there is way less. I’ve seen people die with seat belts on also. Seat belts are good but it should be our decision.”
“I don’t believe that seatbelt s save lives. Good drivers save lives”
“Ahhhh! The pungent smell of Socialism.”
“No. No. No. How can you decide who is responsible for others in the vehicle who don’t wear a seat belt. If someone dies in an accident because they don’t have a seat belt on, whose fault is it?”
“I’m so happy the state feels the need to be my nanny. Keeps me from personal responsibility and thinking.”
“The people who die not wearing their seatbelt made their choice. It’s called freedom. This idea that passing a law will make traffic deaths go away is the ridiculous. We’ve somehow got to get away from this idea that we’re just on law away from Utopia.”
“We may need a primary law BUT I am opposed to it for this reason; it gives the gov another control of our lives.”
“Not only No, to Senate File 11, but ……. No. all the encouragement that can be mustered should be used but not by law. Our civil liberties are being eroded a little all the time, not just by Washington but also by Cheyenne. Did I say NO to this bill?”
Other
“While I think seat belts are important and I don’t necessarily disagree with the bill, I think we need to focus on what really matters: DUIs. Seatbelt neglect puts yourself in danger, DUIs put everyone in danger. Wyoming is far more forgiving on DUIs than nearly every other state in the union, probably why we lead the nation per capita in DUIs.”
