This just hit me while driving to work this morning. If seat bealts save lives and practically if not all states have laws that you must buckle up, then why don't they make cars that won't start unless the seatbelt is fastenned?

My theory is because most states bring in way too much money from ticketing those who do not buckleup. Any thoughts?

Dude! That's a great idea!

Only problem I see is that if the mechanism breaks, then the car is immobile. Just the maintainer in me...

But I guess if the starter quits or a belt breaks or whatever, you're in the same boat, so why not?

that law should be thrown out to begin with except for children...kids should always be buckled in.

Another way to handle it, seat belt not used, helmet not worn, drunk while driving, your insurance is VOID.

i've gotten to the point where i'm simply not comfortable driving without feeling that strap across my shoulder. however, the passengers are more important to be belted than the driver. although some economy models do have sensors for other seats, it would be very hard to enforce who's sitting where and make sure they're wearing a belt. if you just stored luggage in the other seats, it can trigger sensors, and would require the belt to be attached around the luggage before you can start the car.

oldsage, i think you're onto something too! get pulled over and violating one? the police contact your insurance company.

In theroy that may sound like a good idea. But in some situations it is more risky to be wearing a seat belt. Like when you are a certain amount pregnant. It can actually cause harm to the unborn child. Plus I have a friend that has no arm and he is not supposed to wear a seat belt either. As he does not have a shoulder for it to hold on.

There are modifications available for pregnant ladies & you friend can use the old style lap belt. Seat belts & helmets save lives & money. To often tax dollars get spent taking care of people who violate laws. If you want to endanger your self, I think you should be required to carry extremely high insurance. Tax payers don't need to support stupidity, we do it enough.

Good point. How come i never thought of that...lol..i wear mine all the time or i feel weird. lol. Maybe you should write someone higher up and suggest it.
Erika

seat belts save very few lives...like i said they should be for children only

Sorry steve, got to look at the facts.
Seat belts & air bags work, I don't like them either.
But can't argue with facts.

There is a song by the band Cake "Stickshifts and Safetybelts" that has a bit to weigh in on this conversation.

Rather than posting lyrics in the wrong topic I will just let you look em up.

Steve, I am sorry but I personally have to disagree with you, that seat belt in that truck saved MY life back on 9/30/03. I went through 2 holes in I-77 that was made for road repairs on the WV turnpike. The end result was nobody else hurt or involved in the accident, no lives lost, and only $25,000.00 in damage to the company truck, and my good driving record of over 25 yrs without a ticket or accident broken.

Wow, Dave you were very lucky. God must have been with you that day, and I don't consider myself to be a religious woman. As far as seat belts go, police will always give out tickets for one reason or another. But, in all honesty I do feel safer with mine on, and never drive without it strapped across my chest.

That actually sounds like a good idea you have there.

I always wear my seatbelt and so do my sons. We don't even pull out until EVERYONE has their seatbelt on. There are kids that are friends of my boys and they will get in and not put it on but in my car the rule is GET IT ON.

I will say I was in an accident one time back before I was so big on wearing seatbelts. If I had been wearing my seatbelt I would not be here today. I went under a 18 wheeler's trailer that had run a stop sign while I was on an interstate. Made a convertible out of my car. If I had my seatbelt on I would not have been able to lay down real quick and it would have held me in place.

So I go both ways on the seatbelt thing. But I do agree that if they weren't making so much money on these tickets and such they would have already made something that would make sure you had it on. They make cruise control, why not something like this?

tx_girl... just a small observation and question, as I drive an 18 wheeler, I personally have never seen a stop sign on an interstate, unless you are refering to a construction zone at the end of an on ramp. Was this the case here?

Oops I did say interstate didn't I? LOL It was a highway 180 I believe. Ok so I had a blonde moment or just the after effects of this one huge wreck I had. LOL