Support building for seat-belt law

Public support to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense may push the issue further through the Utah Legislature than in previous years.

Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Sandy, who in previous years has voted against any changes to state law that would make seat belt use a primary offense, said that the law has become important enough to people in her district to convince her to change her opposition.

"I am a great advocate of personal rights, and believe it is your personal choice to wear a seat belt," Walker said. "But I have been getting e-mails and calls from my constituents, and a primary seat belt law is very important to them. I may disagree with them, but they are who I represent."

Walker's change gives SB71, which was passed unanimously Thursday by the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities and Technology Committee, 14 votes in the Senate -- last year, 13 senators voted for it -- one short of what would be needed to pass it.

Sponsoring Sen. Karen Hale, D-Salt Lake, said that she was optimistic about her chances because legislators are starting to realize that wearing a seat belt is a choice that impacts far more people than just the person making the choice.

"Little by little, the argument that it is a personal choice that only affects you is dwindling," she said. "That personal choice affects not only the people in the car or on the road, but there is a cost to all of society."

The bill would allow law enforcement to pull someone over for not buckling up. Currently, the law allows someone to be cited for not wearing a seat belt if the motorist was pulled over for something else.

To drum up support for SB71, representatives of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the American Automobile Association, Utah Highway Patrol, the medical community and insurance companies all spoke in favor of the bill. They are especially concerned about rural areas, where AAA surveys have shown only about 60 percent of the people wear seat belts, compared to 85 percent in urban areas.

"Allowing this to become a primary offense sends a clear message that it is important to the state," UHP Sgt. Lee Perry said. "It will increase use and safety."

Louise Harmon, the only person to speak against the bill during the committee, said that she has personal experience with traffic accidents where seat belts would have actually injured more passengers. While she hopes that her family members wear seat belts, she did not think the state should be requiring them to do it.

"All of my children and grandchildren buckle up," she said. "But I'm asking you to please give us the choice."

E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com

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