Eric Takabayashi wrote:
> Paul Blay wrote:
>
>> "Declan Murphy" wrote ...
>>> "If one is doing the math, that is more than $138 million spent on
>>> seat belt laws. But the kicker is this: It is estimated, by
>>> researchers for Congress, that only 6,100 lives are saved per year
>>> because of new seat belt wearers."
>>
>> Here's betting that they don't mention how much money is saved per
>> year from the reduction in deaths and of course _injuries_.
>>
>> Randomme Google result has savings of $80million dollars for just
>> Massachusetts estimated if Massachusetts  was to pass a primary
>> enforcement of seatbelt law.
>
> $138 million (per year?) to save 6,100 MORE lives per year is not
> unreasonable, nor is it really a waste. That is only $22,622.95 per
> life, is it not? Would accident survivors' friends and families
> prefer they be dead instead, to save themselves or fellow citizens
> some tax money? Who would not be happy to come up with the amount all
> by themselves, if it could save their lives or that of a loved one?
> Simple braces for my kids' teeth might cost that much.

Not to pick on Eric, this is just where I decided to chime in.

The author says: "It is estimated, by researchers for Congress, that only
6,100 lives are saved per year because of new seat belt wearers." What does
this even mean? What is "new seat belt wearers?" Newly licensed drivers who
make a life decision from the get go to wear their seatbelts? New parents
who decide their days of living wild and dangerously are now over? Does this
suggest any kind of link with seat belt laws at all? And what about the
people who simply were seatbelt wearers and *remain* seatbelt wearers
because of the money spent. And what about, as others have mentioned, the
injuries that are prevented or minimized. There is simply no way that you
can do some easy division and come up with a meaningful number here at all.
All in all I have little doubt that the benefit to the public in terms of
lower medical costs, lower levels of lost productivity, etc. is way the hell
more than $138M, most of which is "spent" in the form of state grants, at
least some of which is money that benefits the public in other ways as well.

Jeff