Seatbelt Law To Go In Front Of Legislature Again

None by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) A proposal to make seatbelts mandatory for all drivers in Utah will once again go before the legislature this year. Though similar bills have failed over the past several years, Republican Representative Richard Greenwood decided the measure is worth another go-round.

Greenwood says driving is a privilege, and since states can regulate speed limits, behavior inside a car, including seatbelts, is subject to regulation as well. If the bill passes, it would repeal the provision that makes a safety belt violation a secondary offense, meaning drivers could be pulled over for NOT wearing a seatbelt.

Last year a similar bill was narrowly voted down in the House of Representatives. Greenwood says he hopes to change the minds of the representatives who voted against the bill last year.

Currently only 26 states carry primary seatbelt laws, while 23 states, including Utah, carry secondary offense laws. New Hampshire is the only state without any seatbelt regulation.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom and 2008 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW