What is the author's point of view in Selection 1?
Selection 1: Seatbelts Can Save Lives
Who doesn’t appreciate the convenience of our passenger vehicles? Need to run an errand? Need to chase down a problem? Need to deliver someone to an important destination? Our vehicles allow us to complete the chores and recreational activities that make life possible and complete. But what about the danger we face each and every time we enter this form of transportation? Without the proper restraint in place within our vehicles, our ride can cause us serious injury. No matter the make or model of the vehicle, it is essential that passengers within any truck or car be belted in to avoid harm in case of an accident.
Seatbelts have been required in most passenger vehicles for decades. The laws written have the intent of keeping the public safe during minor and major traffic accidents. Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object will continue to move at its present speed and direction unless an outside force acts upon the object. If a passenger is riding in a vehicle that is traveling at forty miles an hour, that person will continue moving at forty miles an hour if there is a sudden impact unless that individual is wearing a seatbelt that acts as an outside force. Seatbelts, therefore, keep the passenger from continuing in a forward path into the dashboard or windshield during an accident.
Pickup trucks, however, were exempt from the seatbelt law for years because of concerns expressed by the agricultural industry. Pickup truck drivers who drove rural routes, made frequent stops, or drove trucks made prior to modern seatbelt regulations fought against the seatbelt requirement. These individuals complained that wearing a restraining device would complicate their daily routines and slow the progress of their daily chores. In 2005, statistics gathered showed that only 62.5% of pickup occupants wore seatbelts compared to 83.5% of the general public. Statistics from the same year showed that 30% of the pickup drivers killed in accidents were not wearing any form of restraining device. It is ridiculous to assume that seatbelt usage doesn’t protect those riding in a pickup. In addition, the death rate of those killed on rural roads was twice that of passengers and drivers in urban communities. Clearly, lives could have been saved if seatbelts had been used during the course of the driver’s daily routine while driving a pickup truck.
In 2010, the law was rewritten to require passengers riding within the cab of a pickup truck to “click it or ticket”. In addition, many of the concerns expressed about the law by the agricultural community were addressed with exemptions from the law for those who are driving pickup trucks off-road, delivering property frequently, and those drivers or passengers with a doctor’s excuse. The law values both the safety of those in a vehicle and the concerns of the business community.
However, in 2020, Georgia revised the law, providing no more exemptions. The new law says, “If you are in a truck, buckle up.” The most current data show that 50% of the fatalities in passenger vehicle crashes were in rural areas. The data also indicate that 75% of those passengers were unrestrained. The new law, however, still includes an exemption for all agricultural use vehicles in the state. To be exempt, the pickup truck has to be registered as an agricultural use vehicle. In Georgia, there are no more warnings and no more excuses. If you are driving or riding in a pickup truck, you can expect to get a ticket if you don’t “click it.
It’s a typical day full of errands and chores, but the driver makes the decision to click that belt. A deer leaps against the truck, causing a minor collision. The driver walks away a bit shaken and having the package that was not restrained slammed onto the floor of the truck. The seatbelt kept the driver safe and sound and ready for another day of work. Remember, seatbelts save lives.
