You make the choice

During the next week and a half, Bloomington police officers will continue to crack down on seat belt violators. Officers have been patrolling busy intersections throughout the city since Sunday looking for unbelted drivers and passengers. At red lights, they pass stopped cars on foot and issue a $25 ticket to any motorist not wearing a seat belt. \nThis is all part of the state's "Operation Pullover" initiative, and the BPD is receiving nearly $40,000 in grant money to pay for officers to work overtime during peak driving hours -- just to catch seat belt violators. In total, the state allocates $400,000 dollars annually to local law enforcement agencies to implement this program. Before the implementation of this initiative in 1999, only 299 tickets for seat-belt violations were issued in Bloomington. In 2000, the BPD issued a whopping 2,272 seat-belt violations. \nIt is an undisputed fact that you have a much higher chance of surviving a car accident if you are wearing a seatbelt. It is dangerous and stupid to not wear one. But spending $400,000 ticketing people who decide not to wear one when they are only putting themselves in danger is ridiculous. Ticketing people who do not buckle up their young children is fine. Young children can't make that decision for themselves and parents who don't require their children to wear seat belts are putting their children's lives in danger. But anyone old enough to have their driver's license should be able to make his or her own decision to wear seatbelt without having to fear a ticket from the police. Not wearing a seatbelt is putting your own life at risk, not someone else's. \nThe $400,000 the state gives out to local police annually used to be spent on new equipment and other expenses. Unfortunately now, since an amendment to the grants was made in 2000, the money can only be used on enforcing the seat-belt law. This money would be better spent on programs to cut down on drunk driving offenses, or even the new equipment and other expenses that it used to fund. \nAlmost everyone agrees that wearing you seatbelt is a good idea -- but it's also a personal choice. As harsh as it is, if you decide not to buckle up because you're "just running to the store" and get injured badly in a car accident because you weren't wearing your seat belt, that was your decision and ultimately your fault. Operation Pull-Over uses up far too much of the financial resources and the time of the state and the local police department. While the state should educate residents on the importance of buckling up, motorists should not have to pay $25 for exercising their own judgement, however bad it proves to be.