Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) told Fox News he often drives unbuckled while in Washington, D.C., citing a heightened threat of carjackings in the nation’s capital.
“I drive around in Washington, D.C. in my Jeep … and I don’t buckle up,” Mullin said. “It is so prevalent of carjacking.”
Mullin argues that going without a seat belt allows him to exit his vehicle faster if attacked. It’s a decision he compares to tactics used by military personnel in combat zones, where quick egress can mean survival.
He added that if D.C. were counted as a state, its car theft rate would top the nation.
Fox News continues:
He made the comments during an appearance on the Wednesday episode of Fox News Channel’s “The Ingraham Angle,” which was guest hosted by Brian Kilmeade.
The senator explained that the reason he does not strap in while driving in D.C. is because of the possibility of carjacking — he does not want to be “stuck” in his vehicle if he needs to swiftly exit.
“And I wear my seat belt all the time, but in Washington D.C., I do not because it is so prevalent of carjacking,” he said.
The lawmaker “is a former undefeated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter with a professional record of 5-0” and “was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016,” according to his Senate website.
Mullin’s comments come as President Trump deploys 800 National Guard troops and temporarily assumes oversight of the city’s police department — an extraordinary federal action that’s drawn the usual pushback from left-leaning groups, but is resonating with residents weary of unchecked crime.
Under current D.C. law, driving without a seatbelt is a moving violation. The penalty: a $50 fine and three points on a driver’s license, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
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