There is something that bothers me about; CLICK IT OR TICKET!

[DawnCt1]

First of all, I don't like the way it sounds. If they wanted to promote seat belt safety, surely someone on Madison Ave. could have come up with something better. I almost prefer the old jingle with the tune, "buckle up for safety, buckle up". It delivered the message in a non threatening, benevolent way. Now, I feel like, as a taxpayer I am being fleeced again. "Click it or Ticket". "We are going to cost you some big bucks. You will pay and then if we can find a way, at some point to rat you out to your insurance company, you will pay for the next 39 months". Do I need to fund these threats from law enforcement? It's like the ads for not driving while intoxicated. Are they campaigning against a group that is FOR DRUNK DRIVING?? I wear my seat belt. I start the car, put it in gear and simultaneously buckle my seat belt. We ALL buckle up. But there is something about the intrusiveness of the message that makes me want to talk on my cell phone, unbuckled, while throwing my empty bottled water container, (Ct wanted a bottle deposit) out of the window!! I know that wearing seat belts save lives but according to stats from the CDC, more people die of obesity. I think that the police should be standing guard at McDonalds to ticket anyone who supersizes their meals. Is anyone else annoyed with the Big Brother campaign??

 

[HayGan]

Yeah, especially because in PA we are enforcing seat belt laws after we just eliminated the helmet law for people on cycles

I should add that I believe in the seatbelt laws and I also believe that cyclists should be required to wear helmets. If you are injured and not wearing a seat belt/helmet,you should be held partly responsible for your injuries as well as ineligible for any type of governmentally funded health care. As for your insurance, that is between you and your carrier!

 

[DawnCt1]

Yeah, especially because in PA we are enforcing seat belt laws after we just eliminated the helmet law for people on cycles

That's interesting, which makes me think that this whole program is Insurance Company driven. Most motorcyclist carry liability which is actually less than $300 per year. It is cheap insurance. Deaths are cheaper than chronic care. Cars are different. One can survive a serious car accident and require long term care without a seatbelt. A seat belt would minimize long term care. I will bet that in a few years, it will be written into policies that the insurance companies will not pay if the occupants of the vehicle are not wearing seat belts. Follow the money, as they say.

 

[Charade]

Just the other day (I'm in PA too) I saw a seatbelt checkpoint. They were handing out cards or something. They didn't appear to be issuing citations.

But I agree that the slogan is a bit abrupt sounding but if it drives home the point, all the better.

It's not like wearing a seatbelt to make you safer is a new idea. Just like smoking or drinking. We know it's bad so why tip toe around the issue?

 

[Tiggeroo]

I think the ticket here in NJ is $130. and that's per person in the car. But I would bet you get a surcharge from the state after that. I got a ticket because I forgot to renew my license, by one day. No biggie, I paid the tix renewed the license. Then I get a bill from the state for a surcharge of $100. I pay this. A year later my license is suspended for non-payment. I ask why. Well the surcharge was a $100. per year for 3 years. My insurance company finds out my license was suspended and raises my rates.
All this from a person who has never had a speeding ticket or an accident. And there is nothing I can do about it, nowhere to fight it. I just have to keep paying if I want to drive.

 

[Charade]

I think the ticket here in NJ is $130. and that's per person in the car. But I would bet you get a surcharge from the state after that. I got a ticket because I forgot to renew my license, by one day. No biggie, I paid the tix renewed the license. Then I get a bill from the state for a surcharge of $100. I pay this. A year later my license is suspended for non-payment. I ask why. Well the surcharge was a $100. per year for 3 years. My insurance company finds out my license was suspended and raises my rates.
All this from a person who has never had a speeding ticket or an accident. And there is nothing I can do about it, nowhere to fight it. I just have to keep paying if I want to drive.

Call your congressman. They are the dopes that passed that law.

 

[Galahad]

Call your congressman. They are the dopes that passed that law.

Mandatory seatbelts with a fine for non-compliance seems like a very good law. Not very dopey IMO.

BTW, aren't they talking about a State law?

 

[DawnCt1]

I think the ticket here in NJ is $130. and that's per person in the car. But I would bet you get a surcharge from the state after that. I got a ticket because I forgot to renew my license, by one day. No biggie, I paid the tix renewed the license. Then I get a bill from the state for a surcharge of $100. I pay this. A year later my license is suspended for non-payment. I ask why. Well the surcharge was a $100. per year for 3 years. My insurance company finds out my license was suspended and raises my rates.
All this from a person who has never had a speeding ticket or an accident. And there is nothing I can do about it, nowhere to fight it. I just have to keep paying if I want to drive.

And don't we assume that the insurance commissioner in each state is there to protect the citizens. They are obviously there to protect the insurance companies. How much needs to be part of the PUBLIC RECORD is really in question.

 

[dis4me]

I think the ticket here in NJ is $130. and that's per person in the car. But I would bet you get a surcharge from the state after that. I got a ticket because I forgot to renew my license, by one day. No biggie, I paid the tix renewed the license. Then I get a bill from the state for a surcharge of $100. I pay this. A year later my license is suspended for non-payment. I ask why. Well the surcharge was a $100. per year for 3 years. My insurance company finds out my license was suspended and raises my rates.
All this from a person who has never had a speeding ticket or an accident. And there is nothing I can do about it, nowhere to fight it. I just have to keep paying if I want to drive.

Not sure if it is still true but Seat belt tickets used to be non punishable by insurance or the state. In other words seat belt citations were teh best to get because your insurance didn't go up and you didn't get a surcharge. Has this changed in NJ?

 

[christineann]

"Click it or Ticket" is just a jingle that they hope will get some attention. I work in insurance defense, and the pictures and coroner reports involving ejections of unbelted passengers are pretty convincing, but that would be a pretty tasteless ad, huh. I don't really blame the insurance companies for wanting seatbelt laws - the bills for those who survive ejections, though few in number, are staggering.

FWIW, I have worn a seatbelt for as long as I can remember - long before I got into the legal field.

 

[chadfromdallas]

That's interesting, which makes me think that this whole program is Insurance Company driven. Most motorcyclist carry liability which is actually less than $300 per year. It is cheap insurance.

Please point me to the $300 a year liability only insurance!

 

[DawnCt1]

Mandatory seatbelts with a fine for non-compliance seems like a very good law. Not very dopey IMO.

BTW, aren't they talking about a State law?

I think the issue is allowing no helmets on motorcycles and then having a mandatory seat belt law. That definately sounds contradictory to me. At the least, inconsistant.

 

[Beastlover]

Last Friday I was cruising thru town when I saw the "seatbelt enforcement zone" and before I knew it, I was being yelled at to pull over.

The kind officer informed me they would be finished real soon and I would be on my way. $55 later I had my very own ticket. stupid-stupid-stupid...

 

[DawnCt1]

Please point me to the $300 a year liability only insurance!

Motorcycle insurance? That's the quotes that I am hearing in Ct. That was with Progressive. I think that GEICO could even be cheaper.

 

[chadfromdallas]

Motorcycle insurance? That's the quotes that I am hearing in Ct. That was with Progressive. I think that GEICO could even be cheaper.

Maybe for a 35 year old, married moped rider

 

[minnieandmickey]

Quote from OP, "Do I need to fund these threats from law enforcement?"



Uh law enforcement has nothing to do with making the laws! If you have issues with these so called "threats" , I suggest you call your LAW MAKERS not blame those who enforce the law, they are just doing their job, oh and by the way possibly saving a life!



Proud wife of a law enforcement officer!

 

[JerseyJanice]

I believe the fine in NJ is $46. I don't know if that's per car or per unbuckled person. And it's considered a moving violation, meaning you get points on your license. I don't know many points, though. Points on your license generally puts you into a higher rate category for car insurance.

I don't get it myself. The punishment does not fit the crime IMO.

 

[MsLeFever]

Years and years ago, NY had a wonderful and silly (I thought) ad for seat belts. You'll have to supply your own music since I can't sing here...but the lyrics went something like...

Belt your sister, la di dah
Belt your brother, la di dah
Belt your grandma, la di dah....

and so forth.

 

[Charade]

Mandatory seatbelts with a fine for non-compliance seems like a very good law. Not very dopey IMO.

BTW, aren't they talking about a State law?

Don't you think paying $100 a year for 3 years on top of $130 is a bit excessive for not renewing a license?

A coworker just got a ticket for speeding. $157 straight up. No surcharge.

 

[DawnCt1]

Quote from OP, "Do I need to fund these threats from law enforcement?"



Uh law enforcement has nothing to do with making the laws! If you have issues with these so called "threats" , I suggest you call your LAW MAKERS not blame those who enforce the law, they are just doing their job, oh and by the way possibly saving a life!



Proud wife of a law enforcement officer!

I don't have a problem with the law. I don't have a problem wearing my seat belt. I have a problem with the radio and tv ads that can't be CHEAP! I don't think that the LAW MAKERS are funding the ads except from the general fund. That is coming from the State of Ct, State of Mass. etc law enforcement budget.