Strap yourself in, we're going for a ride.

I asked someone for a blogging subject the other day and she felt that I could address her feelings that the wearing of seat belts should be the choice of the driver, not mandatory.

Most people who feel this way feel that the government should stay out of their lives. To them I say, “Your choice.” But if you want the government out of your life, then you probably shouldn’t get a license, which is a privilege, not a right. Yes, driving is a privilege awarded to those who are willing to toe the government’s line that we need to show that we’ve acquired certain skills and knowledge of laws. If you want to operate your own vehicle you also need to buckle to the demands of the officials who require a vehicle be insured, licensed and in minimum repair. I really don’t think they do that to protect the driver, but the potential victim of drivers.

And so we come to seat belts. There are, I will give you, a few rare instances when a seat belt could hurt someone in an accident. But do not allow the followers of such doctrine to deceive you! They will push magnificently magnified numbers your way; numbers that have no basis in fact.

If you are in an accident, whether created by you or another, your chance of regaining a semblance of control is much greater if you are strapped into your seat. There is no chance of that when you are thrown to another part of the vehicle or even out of the vehicle.

Seatbelts and car cabins are designed to protect you in an accident. Airbags are helpful, but only if deployed. Airbags deploy only during very specific circumstances. They reduce injuring, not prevent it.

So you’ve been injured in a car accident, that wasn’t your fault, but you weren’t wearing your seat belt. Your injuries are far worse than if you’d been wearing your belt. You now need more medical care and additional time off from work. You may even be permanently disabled, requiring ongoing care.

You have bills to pay, food to buy and medical needs. From where will this money come? You have a job and insurance? That means you’ll get disability and medical care for a while. But who will pick up your slack at work? The company will have to replace you. You move from disability with your company, to the government. Wait a gol-darned minute there! If you’re getting benefits from the government, then you’re getting it from me! I have to go to work so that I can help to support you during your long-term disability because you chose to not wear your seat belt? I have to work to help pay for your medical care because you chose to not wear your seat belt?

Then you find that all of your savings are gone because of course, you can’t support yourself much less your children on long term disability. You always put your kids into the proper car seats but didn’t think the government had the right to tell you to wear your seat belt.

It’s my turn now. I want to be able to choose to not help pay your medical bills. I want to choose to not pay your disability. I want to choose to not help support your kids because you didn’t want the government telling you what to do.

If someone is injured in an accident and had done what they could to protect themselves, I’m there for them. But if they choose to take their life in their own hands and not buckle up, then let them continue to have their life in their own hands and figure it all out on their own. Keep me out of it.