A ST. TAMMANY NEWS EDITORIAL

The Louisiana State Police came out with a disturbing statistic this week. Only 75 percent of the drivers in the state are using their seatbelts. This comes on the heels of a new state law that requires all persons riding in cars must wear their seatbelts, even if they are riding in the back seat.

The state police have been trying to enforce the seatbelt law with more checkpoints and citations. Even local law enforcement agencies in the parish have started to write more tickets for seatbelt scofflaws. But even with more enforcement and a new law, 25 percent of Louisiana drivers still thumb their noses at buckling up. This practice has proven to be deadly as evidenced by two fatal crashes in St. Tammany Parish during the past two weeks. In both cases, neither the driver nor the passenger that died were wearing their seatbelts.

It is hard to change people’s thinking, and there are some drivers who must think that wearing a seatbelt is only for sissies, or that an accident will never happen to them. But let us try to change their mindset with this argument. Let us say some unbelted driver does get into an accident and miraculously survives, but is seriously injured. The resulting medical costs will mean higher insurance rates, not just for the injured driver, but also for everybody. Plus, what if the person in the other car gets injured? That too means more medical costs, and higher premiums for everybody.

The big debate these days is healthcare reform. One of the ways to make sure everyone gets affordable health insurance is bring down the skyrocketing medical costs. People who refuse to wear their seatbelts are part of those escalating costs.

So, buckle up to save your life, the lives of others, and to help bring down insurance and medical costs. Maybe getting hit in the pocketbook will make people think twice about not strapping in.