Editorial: Make buckling up mandatory
by Michael C. Bender | March 4th, 2009The Palm Beach Post editorial board this morning weighs in on a proposed change (HB 1, SB 344) to let police write a ticket if a passenger is not wearing a seat belt:
State Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, in 2007 and 2008 used a key committee chairmanship to block a primary seat-belt law, on the grounds that it would violate individual liberty. This year, Sen. Baker is sponsoring a bill that would ban text-messaging while driving. Is the freedom to text less important than the freedom to drive belt-free?
In addition to less bloodshed and lower medical and insurance costs, Florida would get another benefit from enacting House Bill 1. The federal government would provide $35.5 million for traffic-safety programs. It wouldn’t be part of the economic stimulus, but any safety stimulus would be good for Florida.
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March 4th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Both bills should be passed. Let’s quit the political games and look out for the people for a change.