Citation

Adams J. Significance 2007; 4(2): 86-89.

Affiliation

john.adams@ucl.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Royal Statistical Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Not only has the seat belt law failed to achieve the life-saving benefits claimed for it, and produced an unfair re-distribution of risk on the road, it has set a dangerous precedent. In criminalizing self-risk it has established a dangerous, liberty-threatening, principle that licenses the state to proscribe any thing or activity of which it might disapprove -- from rock-climbing, to drinking and smoking, to eating too many cream buns.

The author argues that the seat belt requirement is a bad law. "It is based on a dangerous liberty-threatening principle. It hasn't worked. It is unfair. It should be repealed."

John Adams is an Emeritus Professor of Geography at University College London and noted libertarian essayist.