Rep. James Eldridge Takes Lead on Seat Belt Law

 BOSTON – Representative James Eldridge and other lawmakers joined supporters of a primary seat belt law at a State House press conference on Thursday, January 5th to encourage the passage of House Bill 229, which seeks to upgrade Massachusetts mandatory seat belt law from secondary to primary enforcement. The present secondary seat belt law allows a police officer to write a $25 dollar ticket for failure to wear the belt only after a motorist has been stopped for another violation. House Bill 229 allows our mandatory belt law to be enforced like every other traffic violation.  Knowledge of our compelling stats has moved the Speaker and House lawmakers to urge a vote on the bill in the next three weeks.

Rep. Eldridge commented during the press conference that beyond protecting the public’s safety, this legislation will have far-reaching ramifications in insurance and health care costs, as seatbelts prevent much of the costly injuries related to traffic accidents. Eldridge remarked, “In light of the debate over automobile insurance, this legislation represents a proactive measure in both decreasing the injuries to our citizens while reducing the associated insurance costs to our drivers. This seat-belt law is expected to save Massachusetts an estimated $80 million in insurance, taxes, and healthcare costs in the first year alone”

 It is estimated that if there were to be a 11% increase in seatbelt usage in Massachusetts, as has been experienced in most of the 22 other states currently employing this legislation, there would be on average 23 lives saved, 3,000 to 4,000 fewer cases of automobile related serious injuries. Importantly, this bill provides a revenue neutral approach to reducing healthcare costs.

In 2004, Bay State residents buckled up at a rate of 64% compared to the national average of 82%. This ranks the Commonwealth next to last in the 49 states that have mandatory seat belts laws. Currently 22 states, plus Puerto Rico and DC, have a primary law on the books. Of the six states with a seat belt use rate of 90 % or higher, five have primary seat-belt laws, and the average use rate for states with a primary seat belt law is 85%

“Although many motorists get behind the wheel with a “me” mentality, operating a vehicle safely on our public roadways is a collective responsibility.  Anyone who takes the time to review the facts will find it difficult to maintain a position that this is about personal choice. Failure to wear one’s seatbelt deserves a $25 fine, not a sentence of life or life with a disability.   I’m asking my house colleagues to review the stats and make an informed decision this year to support H. 229”, exclaims Rep. James Eldridge.