The first mandatory seat belt use law was enacted in New York in 1984, and adult belt use laws are now in effect in 49 states and the District of Columbia. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Traffic Safety Facts - 2007 Data: Occupant Protection, 26 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have laws that allow primary enforcement — and that number is growing.
On June 30, Florida's primary enforcement law went into effect. In the past, law enforcement officers could issue a citation for a seat belt violation only if they pulled a motorist over for another reason and then discovered that occupants were not properly restrained. With the new rule, a seat belt violation alone is enough to allow law enforcement to stop a vehicle.
Florida's Safety Belt Law specifies that front seat occupants — including the driver — must wear a safety belt. Occupants under the age of 18 are always required to be safely restrained, regardless of seating position. And seat belts must not only be worn, but they must be worn properly. The lap belt should be worn low and snug across the hips; the shoulder belt should lay snug across the chest, away from the neck and face. Vehicle occupants should never tuck the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.
The specifics of the law notwithstanding, all vehicle occupants should always use their safety restraints. Research suggests that lap/shoulder belts can reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45% and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. For light-truck occupants, belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury by 60% and moderate-to-critical injury by 65%. Among passenger vehicle occupants over age 4, seat belts saved an estimated 15,147 lives in 2007; if all occupants over age 4 had worn seat belts, an additional 5,024 lives could have been saved.
Bottom line? Remind your students to always buckle up!!!
If you need updated materials, please contact Donna by calling 800.252.9951, or via e-mail at donna@trafficeducation.net.
