Ok, I can see why that would piss your off. But just because the cop got it wrong doesn't mean the law isn't valid - I hope you fought (at least that part of) the ticket. People sometimes get falsely convicted of other crimes too, such as murder, but I don't think it'd be fair to argue that we shouldn't have laws against murder.

The sad reality is that too many people are just too stuck in their ways, sheep-like and ignorant of safety issues, to the point where laws are often the only way to change their behavior.


While the first seat belts were installed by automobile manufacturers in the 1950s, seat belt use was very low — only 10-15 percent nationwide — until the early 1980s. From 1984 through 1987, belt use increased from 14 percent to 42 percent as a result of the passage of seat belt use laws in 31 states. Then, from 1990 through 1992, belt use increased from 49 percent to 62 percent as a result of a national effort of highly visible enforcement and public education.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/presbelt/fullreport.html

Britain spent lots of money through the 70's pushing seatbelt safety - but it wasn't until the '80s, when it became law to wear seatbelts in the front seats that the number of deaths caused by unrestrained front seat occupants significantly decreased. And it still took a further law in the early '90s to get people to make their kids wear seatbelts.