What is common between face masks and car seat belts? One of the major commonality is that both are protective gears. Until recently, I was unaware that car seat belts were also controversial in the US just like the face masks controversy of to-day.

Writing about the seat belts controversy of 80s, the Washington Post’s enterprise reporter Michael S. Rosenwald writes: “back then, as today, there were lawsuits and protests alleging that the government was infringing on personal liberties by mandating what citizens do with their bodies. The divide was stark.’

In Business Insider, Daniel Ackerman writes that just like the current face masks controversy, Americans went to war against seat belts too. Ackerman further writes:

Backlash against public-health safeguards has plenty of precedents: When the influenza pandemic swept through San Francisco in 1919, hundreds of “mask slackers” disobeyed the law and were arrested. Even the seat belt, one of the most ubiquitous safety devices in modern history, faced a contentious battle for acceptance.

In USA Today, Rheana Murray writes: “The fight over face masks is a lot like the pushback seat belts faced in the ’80s. Some people aren’t happy about being told to wear protective face masks. Decades ago, public health officials faced the same problem with seat belts.”

• Before face masks, Americans went to war against seat belts
• The fight over face masks is a lot like the pushback seat belts faced in the ’80s
• How mask fights echo seat belt fights: ‘The right to be splattered all over their windshields’
• To Get People to Wear Masks, Look to Seatbelts, Helmets and Condoms

According to the Business Insider website, ‘people got pretty heated over seat belts — just like they are about masks. Some people cut them out of their cars, and others even challenged new seat belt laws in court’.

It always starts with an informed public. We have to generate buy-in from the public before we can create real change. Sometimes it takes a long time, to be fair. We had 15% seat belt usage in the ‘80s and now we have 90% of front-seat passengers who buckle up on every trip. It doesn’t necessarily happen overnight, but it does happen.

Maureen Vogel, National Safety Council (source: USA To-day)