Automotive: February 2009 Archives

Automotive experts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in 2007, 54 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic accidents were not wearing seat belts. Now cash-strapped states want to give law enforcement officers the authority to pull over motorists just for not wearing their seat belts.  More than a dozen states that are considering making the switch to primary seat-belt enforcement laws need to do so before July to be eligible for millions in federal money.

One of those states is Ohio, which would get $26.8 million if it changes its law. Currently, officers in the state must first have some other reason to stop drivers over before issuing seat-belt citations.  Congress adopted the federal incentive program in the 2005 federal transportation bill as a way to encourage states to adopt the primary enforcement law. The goal was to save lives, reduce insurance costs, and cut medical bills.

For more, please see WashintonPost.com.

Accidents and safety experts report that Colorado has seen a drop in roadway fatalities for 2008.  The number of people killed is down 2% from 2007 when the state reported 554 deaths on the state's roads.  County Sheriff Jim Alderden said law enforcement is aggressively enforcing the state’s drunk and drugged-driving laws.  According to Colorado Department of Public Safety statistics, crashes involving alcohol and drugs have twice the number of injuries and deaths as crashes where alcohol and drugs are not involved. “I’m convinced in my own mind that aggressive DUI enforcement saves lives,” Alderden said.

Alderden says drivers can help increase their safety by obeying speed limits and stopping at stop signs, but drunken or speeding drivers pose a danger that even the most cautious driver might not be able to avoid.