On April 13 2007, Governor Jon Corzine of New Jersey was involved in an almost-fatal car crash, leaving the 60-year-old governor with a flailing chest and broken femur. How did this crash happen?
News outlets have been reporting on the event and have discovered Governor Corzine’s vehicle was traveling 91 miles per hour, 26 miles above the speed limit, when it was hit by a red pickup truck. It has also been released that Governor Corzine was not wearing his seatbelt at the time (he was in the front seat of the Chevy Suburban).
As it turns out, New Jersey has strict laws about seat belt safety. The official website of the New Jersey Government (http://www.nj.gov/lps/hts/seatbelts.html#2) summarizes the law as such:
“Applies to all passenger vehicles including vans, pickup trucks and SUV’s, that are required to be equipped with seat belts. Applies to all passengers who are at least 8 years of age but less than 18 year of age, and each driver and front seat passenger of a passenger automobile….All occupants are required to wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt system.”
New Jersey state officials are trying to locate the driver of the pickup truck who supposedly caused the accident. The drive could face charges of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Governor Corzine’s driver, state trooper Robert Rasinski, could face charges for disobeying the speeding limit. And Governor Corzine himself be cited and fined for disobeying his own seatbelt law (a minimal fine of $46.00).
However, the current issue of investigation revolves around the fact that no one can interview the governor because his respiration is currently being facilitated by a breathing tube. Furthermore, doctors and officials worry that the Governor won’t be able to remember the details of the accident. The doctors at Cooper University Hospital have constantly stated that the governor is very lucky to be alive.
Tom Shea, chief-of-state to Governor Corzine believes the governor should be cited if he was indeed not wearing a seatbelt. As far as citing Governor Corzine is concerned, he probably won’t face any fines. He has certainly suffered enough since the accident.
The only question that remains is: why would a government official break a law they have promised to uphold? The answer to this question is debatable. Furthermore, if a government official, or in fact, any public figure breaks the law, should they be punished accordingly?
Over the next few weeks, I will be debating these topics and I plan to look at several public figures from different walks of life. These people include government officials, actors and other celebrities, as well as athletes.
In my opinion, I believe that public figures should be treated like everyday citizens when it comes to the law. Nevertheless, I understand that public figures are entitled to special privileges whether it’s a matter of who they know or how much money they have or bring in for an organization.
In any case, I do wish Governor Corzine a speedy recovery and hope to see him back to work in the near future. As for the citation, I think it should be given as a matter of principle.
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