In the US, the specifics depend on the state. It’s usually not “primary enforcement”, which means you can’t be pulled over specifically for that, but it can be added on when pulled over for something else. In some states, yes, the driver can be held responsible for passengers not having seatbelts on. It may also matter if the passenger is a minor.
Primary enforcement of seatbelt laws tends to make it more likely for black people to be pulled over. It’s amazing how many good ideas get ruined by racism once you dig into the details.
InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Child mentality. They claim the seatbelt is annoying on the neck or big government things. Perhaps, but being an adult is also about doing what is nessesary for you and your family.
Sendpicsofsandwiches@sh.itjust.works 3 months ago
I’ve even seen people try to say it’s somehow more dangerous because of ridiculous anecdotal experience like “Well I knew this guy who got into a massive roll over accident while drunk and he couldn’t escape because of his seatbelt”. Yeah man the seatbelt was the problem here…
Tyfud@lemmy.world 3 months ago
There are some extreme scenarios where this is true, and it gets inflated and conflated when arguing against seat belt laws.
It’s all a game of numbers at the macro level, and seat belts save far more lives than they potentially damage. The math has checked out and been backed up over and over and over again for 70+ years and the result is always the same: Seat belts overwhelmingly increase your chance of surviving a car accident.
The edge cases, while there, are not worth risking a surefire death or dismemberment under the vast majority of conditions.
Clent@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Not that these extreme scenarios are always told from the perspective of the idiot that survived despite not using a seatbelt.
First responders and ER doctors disagree on these accounts. Vehicles are literally designed to collapse around the passengers. That doesn’t work if the seatbelt isn’t keeping them in the safety zone.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 months ago
If the seatbelt is bothering your neck, you’re not wearing it properly. Most seatbelts are adjustable or are designed to bit over the shoulder by even short passengers.