Boulderites, can you believe that there’s actually a state that doesn’t have a seat belt law. How is that possible? How could a state let their citizens think for themselves. Any guesses which state it is?
Well I won’t keep you in suspense, it’s the “Live free of die” state, New Hampshire. You can gather background information from this Wall Street Journal article.
The Granite State has long been known for its plucky Yankee self-sufficiency — it was the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776. Today it is the only state in the nation that doesn’t have a law requiring adults to wear seat belts. It has resisted efforts to pass one for 30 years, and has been the proud lone outlier since 1995, when neighboring Maine became the 49th state to buckle.
Interestingly enough, the state is now Democratically controlled and guess what, they are trying to implement a seat belt law! One of the reasons is the state would receive $3.7 million in federal money. Some call it “blackmail” money since the percentage of people who actually wear seat belts is about the same as surrounding states…
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show seat-belt usage in New Hampshire is already about 69%, on par with some other states. But many here oppose the law on principle and cherish the liberty to drive unbuckled as a hallmark of individualism. “We’re becoming a nanny state; we’re losing our identity,” says state Rep. Sherman Packard, a Republican from Londonderry. He calls the federal funds dangling over the state “blackmail money, plain and simple.”
At this point in time, it’s a “feel good” law, the type Boulderites would pass without giving it a 2nd thought. I say, “Live free or die”, unfortunately it appears New Hampshire will soon become the 50th state with a seat belt law.
