Man sparks debate after refusing to drive with overweight friend until she wore a seatbelt

Wearing a seatbelt while driving or riding as a passenger is essential for road safety, as it can prevent severe injuries in accidents. But what if someone can't or won't wear a seatbelt? Reddit user u/Organic-Lie5 asked the community if he was wrong for refusing to drive until his overweight friend wore her seatbelt.

The 27-year-old man shared that he and his 29-year-old female friend, who weighs around 400 lbs, made plans to hang out one day. He picked her up in his car and they went to see a movie before stopping by a local diner. However, things started going south soon after. "We had a really nice time, and after we paid and got back in the car, I buckled up and noticed she was having trouble. She couldn't get the seatbelt to click into the seat and I even tried to help her. It was close but she started insisting that we just drive off," the post read. The woman was left embarrassed as the man continued to insist that he wasn't going to drive until they secured her seatbelt.

"It was not safe and I didn't feel comfortable. I ended up trying a bit more and was able to click on the seatbelt. I felt really bad about making her go through that embarrassment but I wanted to make sure that we were both safe," he further wrote. "The drive back to her place was quiet and a little uncomfortable. I tried to assure her that it was okay and that she didn't have to be embarrassed, trying to make her feel better but she was brushing it off. We ended the night awkwardly and I felt really bad."

The comment section was filled with effective solutions for handling such situations in the future. Many sympathized with the woman and discussed her embarrassment. u/lifelearnlove wrote, "Not wearing a seat belt where I live will get the driver a $1200 fine, regardless of who is not wearing the seatbelt." u/Dave_Ex_Machina mentioned, "I don't feel like an explanation is needed. If you're driving, you're responsible for your passenger's safety. It's your choice whether you are willing to drive someone around who doesn't want to wear a seat belt. Your car, your rules. If she doesn't like it, she can get out and walk."

u/strawberrypops added, "You’re completely right that she needed to be buckled in, it’s legally required and it’s common sense in case of an accident. I feel bad that she was embarrassed but you did the right thing and you were kind about what happened. You’re a good friend." u/forgeris mentioned, "Did you feel bad? Really? I bet your friend will feel bad if you get fined hundreds of dollars for driving with a passenger who doesn't have a seatbelt on and I bet she will be very eager to pay you back that money too." Making an edit on the original post, the man thanked people who suggested he get seatbelt extenders.