Senate bill aims to boost seat-belt use

Washington -- It's no secret that seat belts save lives, and the AMA is backing a federal bill intended to greatly increase the number of people who buckle up.

The National Highway Safety Act of 2003 would require all states to either enact laws that allow traffic stops and fines when unbuckled drivers and/or passengers are spotted or to boost the state's seat-belt use to 90%. If neither happens within three years, the state would risk losing highway construction funds.

"As a physician, it is a rare blessing to be in a situation where we can easily identify the solution to a public health threat," said AMA Trustee Ron Davis, MD. "Passage of the primary enforcement seat-belt law will save lives. It's that simple," he said at a recent Capitol Hill press conference.

Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have primary enforcement seat-belt laws, in which police officers can ticket someone for not wearing a seat belt even if they haven't broken another law. In states with secondary enforcement laws, motorists must violate another law before they are cited for a seat belt infraction.

"The cause is just," said Sen. John Warner (R, Va.), a sponsor of the bill. "This legislation is no fad or experiment -- it's a proven success. Nearly every state that has passed primary enforcement has cut death and injury significantly."

More than half of the 43,000 people killed on America's highways in 2002 were not wearing seat belts, Dr. Davis said. "For those lucky enough to survive a devastating auto crash, the health care costs can be staggering. On average, hospitalization costs for unbelted traffic crash victims are 50% higher than for those who buckle up."

Michigan, Dr. Davis' home state, has had a primary enforcement law in effect for three years. He credits it with saving hundreds of lives and averting many serious injuries.