Archive for Friday, August 29, 2008
Lawrence drivers get paid for buckling up
It was a lucky day for some drivers in Lawrence on Friday who got paid for buckling up.
August 29, 2008
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State Farm Insurance agents handed out hundred of dollars in cash Friday morning, one dollar at a time.
As part of a statewide seatbelt awareness campaign, the company rewarded people wearing seatbelts with a dollar, at the 6th and Wakarusa Dillons store.
"We recognize that giving somebody a dollar's not going to change their life," said Eric Smith, a Lawrence State Farm insurance agent. "But hopefully it can be a subtle reminder to them that : they're making a very good decision."
The agents made many drivers happy with the few hundred dollars Smith said they passed out.
"It's nice that they're doing that, because a lot of people don't buckle up and they need to," said Tim Rothwell, a driver who was rewarded for wearing his seatbelt.
But, not everyone got a dollar. People who weren't wearing their seat belts got a bright note and a friendly reminder about the importance of strapping themselves in.
"I'm appalled by the number who have not been wearing them," said Dennis Garrison, insurance agent "We hope to make people more aware of that and get them to where they'll wear their seat belts."
The insurance company, along with the Safe Kids organization and the Kansas Department of Transportation, has participated in the campaign called Bucks for Buckles for several years.
Last year, there were 416 deadly wrecks in Kansas and 60 percent of those who died were not strapped in.
Smith said insurance agents deal with crashes a lot and they know first hand the impact that buckling up can have. The agents said they noticed on Friday that pickup truck drivers were the worst seatbelt violators. Only about one in four were wearing a seat belt.
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30 August 2008
at 10:01 a.m.
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Kontum1972 (Anonymous) says…
well its a law and a fine if u do not…and if u dont and u are in an accident and u go through the windshield or are flung from the vehicle…”you deserve to die”it is that simple….u play u pay!its the same for smoking and fueling a vehicle….but then again there are alot of stupid people out there behind the wheel…like a red light means nothing anymore to most drivers.
30 August 2008
at 10:50 a.m.
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glcookie06 (Anonymous) says…
Wow…The buck is nice, but why reward people w/ money, when it is the state law to buckle up? Were there business cards attached to the $ bills? People not wearing seat belts deserve a hefty fine. And not rewarded!
30 August 2008
at 11:21 a.m.
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Zype (Anonymous) says…
glcookie06: Did you even read the whole article?People not wearing seatbelts were not rewarded.
30 August 2008
at 11:54 a.m.
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TheBurf (Anonymous) says…
>”you deserve to die”Really? Is it that big a deal? They don't deserve to die. It might making driving more risky, but it doesn't mean you deserve to die.
30 August 2008
at 12:04 p.m.
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tangential_reasoners_anonymous (Anonymous) says…
A dollar?( May as well pelt them with pennies. )
30 August 2008
at 1:09 p.m.
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compmd (Anonymous) says…
People who don't wear seat belts cost insurance companies more money and make rescue work harder for first responders. Then again, maybe the people who are too good for seatbelts can help out humanity and remove their defective and weak genes from the pool.
30 August 2008
at 10:32 p.m.
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denak (Anonymous) says…
The dollar is a nice tip. Can't really fault that approach.But personally, I want to see the police get very, very, very tough on the adults who don't strap their minor children into the proper restraints.It is one thing to risk you own life but your child didn't ask to go through the windshield. It isn't anything more than lazy parenting and instead of giving people bright note they should have gotten a *huge* fine.And if your child does die because of your stupidity, you shouldn't get sympathy, you should get a murder charge.Dena
30 August 2008
at 11:42 p.m.
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hammer1 (Anonymous) says…
Randy Weseman might like to get that dollar. Or, maybe not, since he has already gotten what he wanted - $$$$Buckle up, Randy, and make some money - you like it. You may be able to “suck” some more dollars from our ” real town” community which you have already duped to pay you - and your retirement. Randy, I cannot believe that you did not get caught. Pretty smooth - or slimy- depends on the context. However, Randy, you are not - in any way-, an exemption to an audit. Hmmm……
31 August 2008
at 12:28 a.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
I'd rather see my State Farm rates get reduced.
31 August 2008
at 1:22 a.m.
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glcookie06 (Anonymous) says…
zype.. yes, I did read it. And why should they get rewarded for not wearing there seat belt? It is the state law. they should get a hefty fine for not wearing it. Police officers should be able to stop any driver and passenger for not having one on…period. The city would make enough from the fines to use towards equipment they need.
17 October 2008
at 4:22 p.m.
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Zype (Anonymous) says…
No, glcookie06, I don't think you did.First off, it wasn't the police doing this, so they didn't have the authority to issue hefty fines.Second, there was a line in the article that you are either a)ignoring, b)missed, or c)don't understand.>>”But, not everyone got a dollar. People who weren't wearing their seat belts got a bright note and a friendly reminder about the importance of strapping themselves in.”<<Just in case you didn't understand what it said, it means that people who didn't buckle up didn't get a dollar.Third, according to city law, the police do have the authority to pull someone over on the basis of not wearing a seatbelt.