Rules of the road
A new study from GMAC found that one out of 11 people who took a test similar to a written driver’s test would fail, i.e., they don’t know the rules of the road.
Okey doke, whatever. But the study also pointed out this alarming tidbit:
The study also found nearly one-quarter of U.S. drivers believe there are circumstances in which it’s acceptable to not wear a seatbelt, the report said.
But guess what: If you asked me “Are there any situations when you’re driving when it’s acceptable not to wear a seatbelt?” I’d have to answer “Of course.”
For example, moving my car out of my driveway so my wife can pull hers in, or straightening the car in a parking space. So yes, of course there are times you don’t need a seatbelt while driving, but the authors of the study make it sound as if millions of people are idiots when it comes to buckling up.
I hate spin like that — spin that uses the answer to one question (”Is it ever OK not to wear a seatbelt?”) to imply the answer to another (”In normal driving conditions, is it OK not to wear a seatbelt for a long period of time?”).
I suspect the answer to the latter question would skew differently.
Leland says:
Now how could that skew the results?
It’s really an intelligence test. All of us know the real answer is yes, there are times when failing to buckle up is perfectly okay.
But in college, didn’t you ever have to tailor answers to fit the professor? Have you ever taken a civil service exam? The instructions on most multiple guess tests usually read “select the most correct answer.” So the truly intelligent have the wisdom to check the right box and get the grade.
GM, Ford, insurance companies, the Federal Highway Safety Administration, emergency room and trauma physicians are all trying to program us into good law abiding seatbelt wearing citizens. It simply will not due to suggest there is ever a time you can sit behind the wheel without a seatbelt.