It still falls back onto the driver, as they chose to start driving without everyone buckled in.

The word you're looking for is 'gleaning'; 'gleaming' is more like 'shiny'.

There's actually a tricky spot for folks who get certain social services which are tied to income. A small raise can bump you out of eligibility for things like medicaid and food stamps, and thus can in fact result in higher expenses, less money in your pocket, and a lower quality of life.