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Show 2 Vernal Express Wednesday, October 19, 1994 byJackWallls Vehicle safety belt use Some of Utah's rural counties have historically and consistently led the state in fatal and serious injury traffic crashes per thousand residents. The highest ranking five counties in fatal and serious injury traffic crashes in 1992 were Millard, Grand, Juab, Rich and Daggett. The four counties of the Wasatch Front collectively rank about in the middle range for traffic accidents. Statistically, when calculated on the basis of miles traveled, highway users in Utah counties without freeways free-ways are killed at about 1.67 times the rate of highway high-way users in urban-suburban counties. In rural counties coun-ties of Utah having freeways, a highway user is about 2.01 times as likely to be killed, or seriously injured. Seat belt use in rural counties is below that of urban areas with the state average of only about 50 percent usage rate with a national average of about 66 percent and some states with 85 and 90 percent usage. In 1993 there were 303 people in Utah who died in motor vehicle crashes. According to reports about 96 percent of the deaths of 233 vehicle occupants were related to a single factor. Safety officials estimate that as many as 1 14 of those deaths could have been prevented pre-vented if all of them had been buckled in a safety belt or child restraint device. Utah has a secondary seat belt law that prohibits citing cit-ing drivers for only not buckling up. Any stop must be made for some other violation before a belt citation can be issued, except in the case of small children. The seat belt violation also can not exceed $10. Nationally, 1992 was a very good year for traffic safety. The total number of fatalities was the lowest in 30 years and on a vehicle mile traveled basis, it was the best ever. However, more than 5 million people were injured and nearly 400,000 died as a result of their injuries. Over $137 billion a year is lost by motor vehicle crashes. According to safety officials, the death or injuries that occur on our nation's highways are not the result of the unavoidable accidents. By and large these events occur as the result of failure to take needed actions-such as wearing a safety belt on each trip. Seat belt usage is probably the single most easy way to help decrease vehicle accident injuries. This may be the reason there is a bill already filed in the upcoming up-coming Utah Legislature session to change the status of the seat belt law from secondary enforcement law to a primary enforcement law. It is estimated that if all vehicle occupants would buckle up properly, a little over half of those currently dyeing would survive. There would also be less injuries and those injured would be far less severely. A mandatory seat belt law would take the choice away, but it has the ability to remind, teach and instruct motor vehicle users to change their habits for the better. Safety belt use could become the social norm, imperative to life itself. Those who have experienced first-hand, the benefits of wearing seat belts become strong converts to there use. Many other accident victims wish they had been wearing a seat belt. If our vehicle didn't start until the seat belt was fastened, fas-tened, maybe this would help enforce the habit of always buckling-up. Laws that take away our free agency are unpopular, but if these laws save lives maybe it's time to pass a mandatory seat belt law. fURE WISH IT )ULD STOP RAINING JyVgg I 'Jl ( 1 THINK1T , Shop Nothing could be further from the truth than the insinuation being drawn from last week's front page article, that "it costs two to three times more to get a vehicle painted paint-ed in Vernal than in Salt Lake City." If that insinuation were true, there would not be an autobody shop left In Vernal City. People would go to the Wasatch Front. The article In the newspaper only referred to the bids Vernal City solicited concerning the four vehicles in question. It did not refer to all autobody shops and all vehicles or services. There are many extenuating circumstances as to wny one bid is higher than another, but local bidders bid-ders should be given every opportunity to do the work. It is not fair to award work outside the Vernal area without allowing all companies compa-nies In the area the opportunity to do the work at a fair price. The article In last week's newspaper may have simplified a complicated bidding process, but it explained the rationale the Vernal Council used to award the contract Local to a Wasatch Front company. It has always been the position of this newspaper to shop locally whenever possible. pos-sible. The Vernal City Council should, in its sincere desire to get the best deal for their money, shop locally. In 90 percent of the cases, local officials make every effort to purchase from local vendors. . It is a myth of some people in the Uintah Basin that you can get a better deal on the Wasatch Front. This Is not irue. reopie wno Deneve tney can get a better deal elsewhere are not shopping local businesses. All governing entities should give local businesses the benefit of the doubt by not just calling a few on the telephone before awarding a service. A majority of businesses busi-nesses should be contacted and presented present-ed with a fair representation of the service wanted before spending tax dollars outside out-side the area. PUBLIC FORUM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR What is your opinion? The Express welcomes letters from its readers concerning any subject pertinent to the Uintah Basin. There are no restrictions as to contents, if not libelous or vindictive and of reasonable length (two typewritten double spaced pages). Letters must be submitted submit-ted exclusively to the Express and bear the writer's full name, signature, signa-ture, phone number and address. The name or names of those submitting submit-ting letters must appear on all published letters. All letters are subject to condensation. Letters express the opinion of the writer and are not necessarily the opinion of the Express Editor. Unfair accusations Afler ftiiftf a Umi pC arule entitled "A'ctnal City hit the rT (Xt 12. IW). mydf and whs I.! ptifftMrtftalt in the iiw Kdy trpif KiMftr ia Vernal fori thai (hi ftttkk Ha ftvftk Ufltuf ivtiHft. W hvy !. tnutfVKt tti pay tae to fhe tiy, The ti'y may have Ctatt ed i twple p4 total tiy ihnjH, tt?vef, the atile law" that fa tify Vd all total hviae rv The Jarmrt (hat tmt Wxal Kt express ft - WaAtJUi, 44 fmm tJ 0 ii'ikii it " nf a.? M w W H f Hirl tMHMM H t"" Vt Vm Villi" f i tUM tmwwi Co : i0m VttWMH trc 0 M ; V vice are two to three timet mart etpctiMve, ju it not true. This Kodi i direct mc.age to the ciU-ten ciU-ten of Vcnul thai they fchouU uie ihf tort to Sail tile Cny. Thti it very damaf in to pur pm-fpAtion pm-fpAtion aftd wHir tvuomm. II th Mairrnret (me wm!4 rM tm thii Um , The Wloi it liM )al hady hop hkll tft IM ftx&Ktal. of feel hal Chi arti tie tm Arwtly itnftd h owf MTLUAM M. SAMtllS, ItrfkvtmtH AwM tk4y ITOVQ m. The ta. Dtta COMtAO tVANS. Awtrt Kqr Law onforcomont t 44 Me to fht the t4fr nU m Oct U, l?4 I J 5 H h rwiH. My m m4 M fm4 44 t?m 4ftffcjfe to ft he cfe4i ft t MJ m pfTtr iAJ rW rt trf h4 pt4 ! pfTt yt. U fte im s4e t Wl tt ilh frieodi. Vnlc all lirni of thinf ct goinf thrauh my rrurvd. Vth&t i my thi tl ht fricod? A ihcy kad, they iMaaffW? Thee otfttm r4 w he put 111 1 Mu! hie lhv mayhe ihry pvU he more prwtt$n hra U enrhe to Ihinf lCe (hi, By (he ay, my thMi h4'i mrthpf tt4 I had to f chMneA hy mrnrlm, Thank ftm4aeM 1"m4 (hem. They had aJWl aewihrt hny twwtie frm (he LMCOY Vernal Water dispute Dear Editor, Who do we turn to when our county government refuses to protect pro-tect us against common criminals? We (the heirs of Lloyd and Bertha Richards) were robbed of about $30,000 worth of water certificates cer-tificates by fraud and misrepresentation. misrepresen-tation. A prominent Vernal attorney obtained a water certificate for kiock in the Central Canal belonging belong-ing to Uoyd Richards and made out an affidavit of lost certificates for ihares of Steinaker water, also belonging (o Lloyd Richards. With these in hand, he went (o the Canal Company Office and requested new certificates be iMued to a prominent promi-nent Vernal buincman. Neither of the certificates had been ignd or cndarned by Uoyd Richards or anyone reprtMmting Lloyd Richard. Well, claiming the did it in good fauh. the xxwary of the canal company cni ahead and iued (he , oc certificate a rvquc(cd. Thi r'l had enoufh, e ked our courny attorney to prti thaJfr $n all (hat cre involved, APd having the ihcnfff deoaftmcftl ioJiafrtfof vefl ftwth, the csy aitrtfftry called (he !Uiey iowved and dtHtid it ttiin hi After (hat, our owny ifatry 4mi4(d to iffcire oitd 4eK (he 11 4 me fhe ln4iiai p4 a H(f al make detfMr to the aKtwal (mnrrhp r4 thrC ittif(jr taihef thn hcr Ovy MoW, AN forf. wit mrfy ivn7 frfvufd to f"rwe-cvte f"rwe-cvte ft tv'rt. ! (haufht (hat tprtifHte of ownership of any kind had to be endorsed before it could be transferred trans-ferred to a new owner. Now back to the question, who do we turn to for protection against criminals? LADDIE RICHARDS ' Vernal Federal jurisdiction Dear Editor, The recent fjre, at the Little Bonanza nine ii further proof of (he unlawful interference of the Federal Government in the State of Utah where (hey have no jurisdiction jurisdic-tion or authority. The tenth amendment of (he United States Constitution Is very clear. The powers not delegated to the United Stales by (he Comtttuiion. nor prohibited by it to the Mate, are reserved to the Mates rcpoc lively, or to (he people The federal Gowwmcnt has shtnlutcly no jundctwi given to it anywhere in (he Conturuitoa vtf mine in (he Sue of Uuh, Whm m (he prwpte of ibe Sw of Vuii goinf to ke &d demand (hat Che tmiafut tovrp (im Ky (he ledrtal CattftirtK cre? JtRRYILWHrra Vefnal Great folks Dear Editor, I would like to let your local readers know just how great some of the folks in your town are. In the last week of September, we had passed through Vernal on the way to Flaming Gorge. About nine-tenths nine-tenths up the mountain, our 1988 Suburban began pouring out smoke from the under side. We came back into Vernal and stopped at a local convenience store to use the phone. While there, two local men were very helpful in directing us to a local garage. It was after 6 and although they were getting ready to close, the people at Basin Transmission and Engine Exchange agreed to take a look at our car that evening. Donnie Smith took excellent excel-lent care of us and had us on our way within half an hour. He charged us nothing for his trouble. Seems as though it was a minor problem. I was surprised and shocked to find such honest and accommodating people. Not being much of a mechanic myself, I feel as (hough I could have bn taken for a good chunk of money and never have known it was a minor problem. Thanks to Donnie Smith and (he lo men at (he convenience store for all your help. Your help and honesty are much appreciated. To (he community of Vernal, you are lucky (o have such great folks in your (own. We are plcacd to have met uch folks. LEO and CHRISTINE BINGHAM Gillette. Wyo. Correction The hw4tf in (he fret pae picture of (he Ckt 12 iwe of the Vernal t.tpWM i Steve So M Strve ftnk M trpnrtpd. mm it H mh m a 'fwa; rT" sp i For News Items Call the Express at 709-3511 Voico of Business The grea money wasfte Vy t. Um4 L t 4wr, IW4mi UoJ 1k;AMf(Ttr-rt itmf tWr Hft. f9 M M ffPf M tt fiw tf?. mifwi M e tt ftM li? 4He m fJ (r9. "fwi pf H : t p-r-ii. k "part H Mn a4 tvye M M WMwi r tweiw M eMi fifwf tsirw e se ?-ty fwsr 6t H f H ! pwr frt w ftf.ijp" rwi t Se pt m I fw PL Ur&m fwM (hi pHi m1 HSirMi pwr re aJtnM M MMry rwJ ) fcmm f4 (Vwe tat 4 ats k sirf'v trrj rtrm( tl a rty p icir i sJ e lri wprt dPtofftAi to tim. Ir fN N mM c if w f wei- ft i tctwiwwi tVwy fell e NMKm al She hiBtwK A4r(a He fee cwwwtHi f Menl thi pmti V 4rft ww wf pir.j? w jwre rf trHI Hr tm-r-i tmf Hwr e? H m !ic TV - ftrf f-r T Mt f - f tf (tMN f!H. f4 w-wr ! t1'. -! !? t- erstS easrt cf4- t "" wtcw n fet- |