[17043] in APO-L
Re: New laws and the 4th of July
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Maybe elite or a whiz)
Wed Jul 2 10:26:22 1997
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 1997 10:25:12 -0400
Reply-To: Maybe elite or a whiz <emy@INFI.NET>
From: Maybe elite or a whiz <emy@INFI.NET>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199707021335.JAA23657@mh004.infi.net>
Actually, let's clarify the seatbelt and headlights laws right now, because
there have been some misconceptions posted (specifically the seatbelt law).
The following is from the July 1 issue of "The Virginian Pilot" (and you
can find the rest of the story at
http://www.pilotonline.com/news/nw0701law.html):
If it rains today, turn on your headlights.
The requirement is among several new traffic laws that go into effect
today, along with hundreds of other laws passed by the 1997 General Assembly.
Specifically, it says that drivers must burn their headlights if their
windshield wipers are on, unless they're being used intermittently. Police
can't cite you for it unless they pull you over for something else.
Another new law toughens guidelines for safety belt use by minors.
Drivers must ensure that passengers from 4 to 16 wear seat belts, and all
children under the 4 must be placed in a ``child-restraint device'' such as
a car seat.
Violators of the former face a $25 fine; of the latter, a $50 fine and
three driving demerit points.
``It takes the under-4 law and it expands it up to 16 as far as making it a
standard offense,'' said Vincent M. Burgess, safety director for the
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
``The important thing here is the message being conveyed,'' Burgess said.
``Last year at least 76 percent of the kids who died in traffic accidents
(in Virginia) died because they weren't in a safety belt.''
This is a standard law, he continued, meaning a police officer does not
have to stop a
motorist for some other reason to enforce it.
``Before it was just front seat passengers,'' said Sgt. Chuck Flowers, a
Norfolk police officer. ``Now, if they're under 16, anywhere in the car
they have to have a seat belt on.''
>>So...although wearing your seatbelt is a really good idea, you still
don't legally *have* to do it. I would encourage you to do it anyway,
because it's a really good idea. *Especially* on a holiday weekend, because
people seem to think holidays mean that they can drink a lot and not worry
about the consequences...and if you're wearing a seatbelt when you get hit
by that drunk driver, you've improved your chances of surviving that
accident exponentially.
Love to all my brothers-
Elizabeth Yow
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