Click It or Ticket, Governor
Last Thursday, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine was involved in a near-fatal car accident on the Garden State Parkway. The governor was en route to a meeting between Don Imus and the Rutgers University women’s basketball team over Imus’s controversial comments when his Chevy Suburban was hit by a white pickup truck and smashed into a guard rail. Police indicated that a red pickup truck, driven by 20-year-old Kenneth Potts, moving erratically caused the white one to lose control and hit the governor’s vehicle. Potts left the scene of the accident and was not found by police until the next day. No charges have been filed so far. Corzine’s femur was broken in two places and protruded through his skin. The governor also sustained 12 broken ribs, a broken sterum, a broken collarbone, and a fractured vertebra. A state trooper and a political aide also received minor injuries in the accident. Corzine is in critical but stable condition at Cooper University Hospital. He has had several surgeries so far, including an unplanned one to clear fluid from around his lungs, and one this morning on his leg. The governor is “not out of the woods” his doctors said today. He is expected to recover slowly next few weeks and may require crutches or a wheelchair for up to six months. Senate President Richard Codey will serve as acting governor for the third time while Corzine recouperates (New Jersey only approved an amendment creating a Lt. Governor in 2005 and the office has yet to be filled).
Corzine was not wearing a seatbelt in clear violation of state law. Friends report that Corzine habitually does not wear his seatbelt. This contributed to the seriousness of his injuries, as the governor was thrown from the front to the back seat of his vehicle during the crash. New Jersey has a harsh history against seatbelt offenders. It was the 2nd in the nation to make front seatbelts manditory, and, in 2000, began allowing police to pull over drivers suspected of not wearing seatbelts. Ninety-percent of drivers and front seat passengers in New Jersey wear seatbelts, the eighth-highest rate in the country. In addition to facing long recovery time for his injuries, Corzine may face charges from the state police for his seatbelt violation. This is totally appropriate, as the governor should set an example for the rest of the state in following state motor vehicle law.
Nevertheless, prayers for the govenor’s recovery and for his family.
13 Responses to “Click It or Ticket, Governor”
I’m still not convinced that the state of NJ should be in the business of forcing people to wear seat belts for their own good. There is a dispute about the overall impact of seat belt legislation. While some studies concluded the laws have reduced casualties in accidents, others have noted an increase in fatalities of motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, possibly due to greater driving confidence while wearing a belt. One study noted that the only decline in fatalities was actually due to greater alcohol tests and therefore less alcohol-related accidents, not seat belts.
Nevertheless, even if seat belts do provide a net benefit to those wearing them, I fail to see why the state should be mandating it. Eating carrots is good for us too but thankfully the state isn’t forcing them upon us.
The most convincing argument I’ve found in favor of seat belt laws is that states with such laws will often get lower car insurance rates. But there’s something very icky to me about a forfeiture of freedoms in order to gain a collective bargain on state-mandated insurance.
“I’m still not convinced that the state of NJ should be in the business of forcing people to wear seat belts for their own good”
Agreed. But not wearing one is just incredibly stupid. I wish high school science classes had a unit on the physics and geometry of driving.
The courts have long given states wide latitude in regulating automobiles for “public safety” purposes (I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that), so I guess I’m more ok with it. I’m also not convinced that greater seatbelt wearing increases aggressive driving, unless we’re willing to make the same argument for air bags, anti-lock brakes, turn signals, etc.. etc… etc..
Nevertheless, J’s right. Not wearing one is just incredibly stupid. Jon Corzine should have been wearing his; for his own safety and as an example of the governor following state law, no matter what he may have personally felt about it.
Why would the width of the latitude given to states by the courts affect your view of whether a law is actually appropriate and justified?
91 mph.? Politicians above the law, as usual.
amazing . If I had been not wearing a seatbelt and going over 90 MPH AND was invloved in an accident..I would be facing numerous violation charges. I feel bad he is hurt and wish a speedy recovery , however, the State Trooper who was driving should be repremanded . why is it officals can SPEED and not wear seatbelts?????
That arrogant son-of-a-bitch. Enforces seat belt and speeding laws but thinks they apply to every one except him. 91 MPH put every one else on that road in jeopardy of death. In my opinion it is too bad he survived. Lots of innocent people who obey the law do not survive.
NJ Gov Jon Corzine got what he deserved. It is an unwritten law that politions and law enforcement do NOT hsve to obey laws as all others do. The state trooper was going over 26 MPH over the posted limit, and Gov Corzine was not wearing a seat-belt. If it were you or I, it would be a TRIP to JAIL. Anyone want to bet $1000. the state trooper will never get a speeding ticket??
Above the LAW. Did you ever hear of a policeman or a state trooper give a speeding ticket or charge a “Fellow” with Reckless Driving? This GOV has set an example for all drivers,– do as I do, not what I say. We can not write the governor to complain; how about the NJ Attorney General? GOOD LUCK
For all you libertarians, here’s the argument FOR seat-belt laws: personal responsibility. If you don’t wear a seatbelt and I run into you and you’re injured, you could sue me for your injuries, despite the fact that you didn’t bother to use reasonable protection for yourself. If seatbealts are mandatory and you don’t wear one and then we get in an accident, there’s a legal presumption that your injuries are at least partly your own fault.
And our society could really benefit from more of an attitude that when people do stupid things and get hurt as a consequence, it’s their own damn fault. Instead, it’s always somebody else’s fault.
wahoo, an act or inaction doesn’t need to be statutorily illegal in order to create a legal presumption that your injuries are at least partly your own fault.
Josh,
Have you had a chance to look at health cost comparisons for similar collision severities but differing between victims wearing seatbelts and those not? If not, is your general impression that people who wear seatbelts in accidents generate similar hospital bills to those who fail to do so?
If state government saw a significant health care cost attached to a lack of a seatbelt law (particularly one that fell to the taxpayers as a result of a dearth of health insurance coverage), then I think a seat belt law could certainly be justified in that direction.
Michael, I anticipated someone making that point and was surprised it wasn’t made sooner. In my mind the health care argument is more of an argument against government-sponsored health care than an argument in favor of seat belt laws. The logical conclusion of justifying nanny-state laws on health care cost grounds would lead the government to regulate virtually every aspect of our lives. And my carrot analogy works here as well. Carrots and other vegetables are beneficial to our health, but we rightfully wouldn’t allow the government to force us to eat them or to ticket us upon not eating the mandated level, no matter how much such a policy would save us in health care costs.