June 9,
2005
Reported by: Kristen Cosby
Starting today, if you don’t wear your seatbelt in
South Carolina, get ready for a $25 fine. Governor Mark
Sanford didn’t veto this bill, but he also didn’t sign it.
Governor Mark Sanford said in his office in Columbia
that he doesn’t agree with the new seatbelt law. Not because
he doesn’t think you should buckle up, but because he doesn’t
believe in big government.
South Carolina’s new seatbelt law: buckle up or fork
over 25 bucks.
“I think you should have it. It will protect a lot of
people,” said G.W. McDowell.
“It’s not really a big penalty. I don’t know if it will
really make people wear their seatbelt or not,” said Harris
Mullis.
And making people click it is where Governor Sanford
has the problem.
“I don’t particularly like this law. I don’t think it
makes sense,” Gov. Sanford said.
Sanford doesn’t like laws that force personal
responsibility. He says eating fast food can give you heart
disease and kill you, but he’s not going to outlaw that. The
Governor didn’t sign this bill into law, but he let it become
law by not vetoing it.
“My belief is you gotta have fewer laws, but the laws
that you have gotta be enforced,” Gov. Sanford said.
The only reason Sanford let the seatbelt law pass is
because wearing your seatbelt is the only law in South
Carolina law enforcement can’t enforce.
“I would anticipate this bill would not prove the
results that people are hoping for,” Gov. Sanford said.
Not wearing your seatbelt comes with a $25 slap on the
wrist. It does not go on your record, take points off your
license or count as evidence in court.
Not a law Sanford likes, but a new law nonetheless.
Aiken Senator Greg Ryberg started writing a bill for
next year, making it whether or not you were wearing your
seatbelt in an accident admissible in court. The governor
likes that seatbelt concept and says he will support it.
Before this law, you could only get a ticket for not
wearing your seatbelt if you were pulled over for another
reason.
to read Governor
Sanford's reaction to the law.