Last week's Question of the Week asked readers if they favor a primary seat belt law, which would let police pull over motorists solely because they aren't wearing their belts. The response was split pretty much in half.

Among 523 votes in this unscientific survey, 268 liked a primary law, while 255 were opposed.

Some readers' comments:

n Yes. For all responsible Montana drivers and parents this should be a no brainer. Who care about the loss of some "parental rights" if it results in the loss of a child's life?

n In the nanny state we already have, freedom has been severely curtailed under the pretext of "protecting you from yourself." Liberal Big Brothers taking care of us poor dumb citizens too stupid to take care of ourselves. Why give the cops just one more reason to pull you over and harass citizens who are over 21 and can make up their own mind? Installing a speed limit was supposed to lower highway death, too, but the numbers have increased every year since it was put back on the roads. We already have a seat belt law, why put more bureaucracy on top of it? Does the Highway Patrol need some new cruisers? If the Legislature wants to help lower the traffic deaths, outlaw driving while talking on a cell phone.

n Yes. Any law that helps save lives, and hopefully cuts our insurance costs, should be passed. Let's hope the helmet law is next. I hate paying insurance claims for helmetless riders.