Lawmaker again proposes primary seat belt law
CONNING CHU Associated Press writer | Posted: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 12:00 am
CHEYENNE - Wyoming could crack down on some law-breaking drivers this year if the Legislature passes a series of traffic safety bills, including one that might force people to buckle up.
Sponsors say the bills are intended to reduce traffic fatalities. Wyoming experienced 148 reported traffic fatalities in 2007, down 25 percent from 195 fatalities in 2006.
Supporters of the proposed safety belt bill are crediting the drop mainly to increased safety belt use. According to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, 75 of the 148 Wyoming traffic fatalities in 2007 involved people not wearing safety belts, compared to 128 of 195 fatalities in 2006.
Rep. Jerry Iekel, R-Sheridan, proposes Wyoming enact a primary seat belt law, allowing police to stop motorists solely for safety belt violations. State law currently allows police to ticket motorists for safety belt violations, but not to stop them solely for failure to use belts.
According to a National Transportation Safety Board report in September, 26 states currently have primary safety belt laws. However, Wyoming has rejected such a bill in the past. Iekel has a brought a similar bill to the House six times before.
A recent Casper Star-Tribune poll found that 60 percent of Wyoming residents would oppose such a seat belt bill.
Iekel said he understands the maverick mentality of Wyoming, but said he endorses the bill because it has "tremendous economic impact."
When there are more fatalities and injuries from not buckling up, the state has to pick up highway reconstruction, medical and disability bills, Iekel said.
"I'm not on a white charger here, I just go for what makes sense," Iekel said.
Rep. Lisa Shepperson, R-Casper, said she opposes the seat belt bill because most state residents oppose it and because buckling up comes down to personal responsibility. She said government shouldn't mandate everything a person does.
"Politicians assume the general public is stupid, and I don't," Shepperson said. "The public knows right from wrong, and you don't have to force them to do this."
Lorrie Pozarik is director of Injury Prevention Resources, a nonprofit group in Lander that promotes awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. She said the government does need to force the public to abide by safety belt laws.
"We are past the point where education alone can do it," Pozarik said. "We can put a lot of money into making the road more forgiving, or we can just buckle up."
Col. Sam Powell, administrator of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, said the two most prevalent causes of traffic fatalities are safety belt violations and driving drunk.