Getting serious about Wearing that seat belt

How many times have you heard “Buckle up!” or “Click It Or Ticket” or “Seatbelts Save Lives”? Well, if you haven’t been persuaded by any of these catchphrases, there is a new incentive for drivers and passengers in Wisconsin to buckle up! Recently, the Legislature passed – and the governor approved – primary seatbelt enforcement as a new way to promote safety and encourage everyone in Wisconsin to “click it.”

In 1987, Wisconsin enacted a mandatory seatbelt law; however, it could only be enforced if a driver was pulled over for some other reason. This is known as secondary enforcement. Under the new law, which went into effect on July 1, police officers will now be able to stop a car if they observe a driver or passenger riding without a seatbelt. The primary enforcement law retains the same penalties as the old law: a $10 ticket for riding without a seatbelt and no loss of points on a driver’s license.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, currently 30 states and the District of Columbia all have primary seatbelt enforcement laws. All other states have secondary enforcement laws, except for New Hampshire, which has no mandatory seatbelt law.

Based on a 2008 National Occupant Protection Usage Survey conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 83 percent of Americans use their seatbelts. In states with primary seatbelt enforcement, the rate of use jumps to 88 percent. Unfortunately, Wisconsin lags far behind the national average with a use rate of about 74 percent, placing us 44th out of the 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

States that have adopted primary seatbelt enforcement have seen increases in the rate of seatbelt use. Based on the results in other states, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) predicts that seatbelt use will increase by 10 percent by switching to primary enforcement. This increase would save an estimated 44 lives and prevent 650 injuries over the course of the year.

Obviously, the goal of primary seatbelt enforcement is to save lives! Many of you are probably familiar with the Zero In Wisconsin campaign, which seeks to eliminate preventable traffic deaths in Wisconsin by educating the public of how simple it is to be a safe driver. Seatbelts are proven to reduce injury and death in the event of a car accident by preventing the occupant from being thrown both in and out of the vehicle. According to the NTSB, since 1975 seatbelts have resulted in more than 226,000 saved lives across the United States!

However, there are other added benefits Wisconsin will see as a result of the recent enactment. With a 10 percent increase in seatbelt use, there is a corresponding economic saving to the state. According to the DOT and the NHTSA, Wisconsin taxpayers would save around $147 million annually since fewer injuries and deaths on the road result in lower healthcare premiums and car insurance rates, as well as lower taxes. It is estimated that Wisconsin lost more than $2 billion as a result of traffic fatalities and injuries in 2007 alone. And, lastly, Wisconsin is now eligible for millions of dollars in federal funding designated for safety improvements – roughly $15.2 million worth!

And while we are on the subject of driver’s safety, I also want to share with you a couple pieces of related legislation. Rep. Sandy Pasch and Sen. John Lehman have introduced Assembly Bill 341, which prohibits a driver with a probationary license and who is under the age of 18 from driving while on a cell phone (even if they use a hands-free device). According to the NTSB, drivers age 20 and under account for 7 percent of motorists, but are involved in 14 percent of fatal accidents. Therefore, this bill aims to greatly improve the safety of our roadways for all travelers and encourage our newest drivers to focus all of their attention on the road.

Another bill – Senate Bill 103 – authored by Sen. Alan Lasse and Rep. Peter Barca, bans text messaging while driving. Both bills provide exemptions for emergency situations and have been referred to committees for review.

Keeping our roads safe is a priority for everyone and primary seatbelt enforcement will help do just that. Accidents happen. Buckling up is one of the easiest precautionary measures we will ever be asked to take. Just remember, seatbelts save lives … so buckle up before you hit the road!

Contact Me: If you would like to contact me regarding this or any other issue, you may call my office at (888) 529-0026 or you can e-mail me at: Rep.VanAk keren@legis.wi.us. And, of course, if you want to send me a letter, you can send that to: Rep. Terry Van Akkeren, P.O. Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708-8953.