Missouri Senate Bill 820
I was invited by Sen. Jill Schupp to attend a hearing at the Capitol next week to testify in support of one of her bills (SB 820) but I cannot make the trip due to conflicting business schedules, so I am offering my testimony in written form.
As a long-time safety advocate, and hard-nosed seat belt user, I believe it is time we require seat belt use, and make primary enforcement the law in our state.
You don’t have to believe me, read the facts, the numbers don’t lie: seat belts save lives.
Support for SB 820
Primary enforcement of seat belt use
We are very fortunate these days that our cars and pickup trucks have many great safety features to protect us and our loved ones in a crash. Airbags, safety glass, impact absorbing bumpers, crumple zones, occupant/cabin protection, anti-lock brakes, and many others. All of these are activated or become effective automatically without any action by the driver.
However, the most basic one, the seat belt, will only work and provide protection when the user buckles up. All the other safety features in our modern cars work in conjunction with each other to keep us from serious injury or death, and the seat belt keeps you in the seat so these other safety features can work the best and do their jobs.
Unfortunately, too few Missouri citizens are buckling up, and a primary seat belt law is necessary to make sure everyone buckles up, every time. We require airbags and anti-lock brakes to always be “on,” so why not seat belts, too ?
The historical statistics are clear: you are more than twice as likely to be seriously injured
or killed without using your seat belt; and, the rate of fatalities involving no seat belt use is remaining far too high. (Source: MoDOT – Traffic & Highway Safety, year to date comparison):
Already this year, our statewide total of fatalities is on track to be higher than average:
Most fatalities are in rural areas:
Manufacturers continue to devote millions of dollars into research to make our cars safer. The very least we can do is to mandate that seat belts be used, and lives be saved. The economic impact of serious injuries and deaths from vehicle crashes where seat belts are not used is extensive. Families lose wage earners. Employers lose productive workers.
Hospitals and rehab facilities are burdened with caring for these people. This represents many millions of dollars and productivity that could be saved and used to improve our economy, society and local communities. Here is a very short video from MoDOT that explains things very simply: http://tinyurl.com/jn2tryg
Please do your part to help save more lives; to help more families arrive home safely and have dinner together; to ensure workers are alive and well to go to work; and please do this by voting in favor of passing SB820.
Thank you, David W. Ransin
Personal Injury Trial Attorney
1650 E. Battlefield Road
Suite 140
Springfield, MO
(417) 881-8282
david@67.43.5.55
Why People Shouldn’t Oppose SB820
Many people oppose primary enforcement. Secondary enforcement means you cannot be pulled over for failure to use your seat belt. You would have to be pulled over for speeding or something like that, or have a crash, and then you could get a ticket. Primary enforcement makes failing to use a seat belt a valid reason in itself to be pulled over and ticketed.
Educational Video
My testimony refers to data collected by MoDOT which also tells the story of people dying by not using their seat belts, and this video sums it all up very well:
Many other people object to primary enforcement on 2 main points:
- Harassment could increase as an officer could pull you over if they only suspect you don’t have your belt on; could this happen ? yes, but it is unlikely to be a large problem;
- Individual freedom of choice; and I’m all in favor of freedom of choice, but when that choice has devastating consequences for other people, not just you, that’s different; serious, paralyzing injuries, or death, from failing to wear your seat belt has a wide ripple effect on your spouse, your family, your friends, your employer and co-workers, and society in general which has to pick up the tab for all the economic losses.
Please call your Senator, and encourage them to vote in favor of SB820
Buckle up, save a life.