R.White wrote:

> craig@f8d.com (Craig Macbride) wrote in message news:<1088924631.983636@irys.nyx.net>...
>
>>"Dave C." <mdupre@sff.net> writes:
>>
>>
>>>The problem is, the airbags only help in severe collisions . . .
>>>the kind where your car suffers enough damage to be deemed unrepairable by
>>>your insurance company ('totalled'). But then, the airbag can explode if
>>>your car is hit by a runaway shopping cart, or if it's hit with a strong
>>>wind gust . . . or for no apparent reason at all.
>>
>>And the reason for this is stupid American standards which make airbags
>>go off at ludicrously low speeds because they are trying to save idiots
>>who refuse to wear seatbelts.
>>
>>The sensible way to do it is to set the airbags to only go off in high-speed
>>crashes. And if you want to save lives, you make it illegal to not wear
>>seatbelts and actually enforce it. Unfortunately, the US authorities prefer
>>to allow people to not wear seatbelts and then attempt to make car makers
>>design their airbags to do a job that they are not well suited for. Don't
>>blame the car makers.
>
>
> All states except New Hampshire have seat belt use laws.

New Hampshire does have seat belt laws for children, just not for
adults. As with most things here, freedom of choice is protected.
However, personal responsibility is also expected. If you feel more
comfortable having a nanny government, The People's Republic of
Massachusetts is just across our southern border.