Driving is a privilege, not a right.
As with any type of activity that involves even the most remote possibility of danger, there are rules and regulations that must be followed. Driving a vehicle comes with a great degree of potential danger, and a collision can occur just about anywhere and at any time.
There are many ways a person can get injured when involved in a vehicle collision. Plenty of today’s vehicles are designed for speed, and many of the people who drive them like to do so at excessive speeds. However, fast speeds isn’t the only factor that contributes to collisions.
That’s why seatbelts are so important. They are so important, it is the law to wear them. Anyone who is caught not wearing a seatbelt is subject to a fine. With all the information out there about the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt, it’s a wonder as to why anyone would choose to not buckle up. More lives are saved by wearing a seatbelt, and it’s an easy way to prevent a death.
The RCMP is ramping up its seatbelt patrol and targeting those who fail to buckle up. According to the RCMP, seatbelts increase the chances of survival by 50 per cent. As well, almost 40 per cent of drivers and passengers killed in collisions were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. The RCMP has responded to many collisions in Alberta in which there is unnecessary injury or death due to the fact someone wasn’t wearing their seatbelt.
Barrhead detachment Sgt. Bob Dodds has seen too many people who have met grisly fates because they didn’t buckle up. By increasing public education and enforcement efforts, the RCMP is aiming to make the province’s roadways safer for everyone. That means education through enforcement. If people don’t use a seatbelt, they can expect a fine when pulled over by officers.
Dodds said the compliance rate in Barrhead is actually lower than the provincial rate. Living in rural Alberta means people tend to think they are safer than their counterparts who live in larger municipalities. And, while that may be statistically true, it doesn’t mean they are immune to it.
Furthermore, drivers are responsible for any minors in the car, and it is unacceptable for anyone to drive a vehicle while children are unrestrained by a seatbelt. Putting a child’s life at risk in that way should warrant a much heftier fine. Allowing a child to not wear a seatbelt is like allowing them to walk across a rope bridge spanning a gaping chasm. Sure, chances are nothing bad will come of it, but do you really want to risk it?
It’s a simple choice, buckle up and drive knowing you are safe and won’t be getting a ticket, or take a chance at a fine, or even worse, the loss of a life. After all, Dodds said he has seen many incidents where a seatbelt has saved a life, but he has never seen a situation where not wearing a seatbelt has save someone.
