by Abby Humphries

Created on: June 27, 2008

I do not believe that mandatory seat belt laws violate individual rights because it is a right in and of itself to 'personal security'. If people have the right to defend themselves if their safety is being compromised, then they should have the right to protect themselves against potential hazards or dangers.

Just think about someone who does not wear their seat belt and is ejected from their vehicle upon collision. They have been ejected and are sustaining serious/severe injuries. The emergency personnel have to respond to help the victims of the crash and so the person has to go to the hospital to receive further treatment and assistance.

If the crash in question happens in Canada, the tax payers ultimately pay for the hospital admittance. If health care does not exist, then either the insurance company has to pay, or the person from their personal finances.

If a person is being tossed from their vehicle, then they become a projectile and can cause injury to another person.

It becomes expensive for any random person to get into an automobile accident when they are not wearing their seat belt. Not only for the person not wearing their seat belt and other people on the road. It is costly to people in the public administration processes after the accident occurs.

Even if some people think that they have the right to choose if they want to wear it or not, I still think that the laws were made for a reason. Not just to prevent police from issuing 'failure to wear a seat belt' tickets. This law protects individuals from injury which, to me, allows them to enjoy their rights and freedoms. The consensus of the community needed to make this law pass trumps 'individual rights.' If people put too much emphasis on individual rights all laws would probably have some sort of conflict with some right or another. If we put too much emphasis on individual rights then everyone would have individual laws to obey.

Besides, what kind of a message does not wearing your seat belt say to kids who observe the actions of adults. By being safe ourselves, we are telling our children that it is important to protect ourselves. We make laws based on what we deem is important after all, don't we? A law important enough to be made, is important enough to obey. How many laws are we going to say violates our right to choose to follow? It is clear what the consequences are. Let the consequences influence your choices.

Learn more about this author, Abby Humphries.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.