Opinion

Seatbelt law should be challenged

Posted June 19, 2011 12:00 am

As an attorney with many years of personal injury trial experience, I believe years ago that attorney Al Hofeld Jr. challenged the Illinois law mandating that motorcyclists wear helmets. This case went before the Illinois Supreme Court, which ruled that cyclists were not required to wear helmets. I do not understand why the state of Illinois does not comply with that ruling concerning seat belts.

Having tried many personal injury cases, it was prohibited to introduce evidence by the defense that the plaintiff was or was not wearing a seat belt on the basis that seat belts can cause bodily injury in and of themselves.

It appears that the state law is only in place not for the benefit of passengers and motorists in vehicles, but simply to create revenue for governmental entities by the issuance of tickets.

I am very surprised that some personal injury attorney has not challenged this law on the same basis that the helmet law was stricken.

Steven R. Heuberger

Libertyville

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