Sen. Jehlen Sponsors Seat Belt Enforcement Bill

Highway safety advocates say Massachusetts can save 18 lives, prevent more than 650 injuries, and conserve more than $170 million in health care costs each year through passage of a primary enforcement seat belt law. Proponents of Senate bill 1211 and House bill 2401 will make their case at a hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security Thursday, June 16 at noon in Hearing Room B-1.

The BEST–Belts Ensure a Safer Tomorrow–Coalition points out that a primary seat belt law, which allows police to pull over unbelted drivers, will increase belt usage in the Commonwealth by at least 10 %—saving lives, preventing debilitating injuries, and, in the process, saving $70 million in direct health care costs, and an additional $100 million in property damage and costs to employers, who pay to care for and replace injured workers. The numbers are based on statistics derived from the 31 states (and D.C) that have already passed primary enforcement laws. Speaker Pro Tempore and House sponsor Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset) says, “We have the opportunity to save lives, prevent serious injuries, and contain health care costs in a major way. Given our current fiscal situation, Massachusetts cannot afford to say no to this bill.”

Currently, Massachusetts ranks 48th in the nation in belt use, with a 74% average use rate overall that is lower still in the minority community: for Hispanics, 64%, and African Americans, 72%.

The Commonwealth also stands to gain $13.6 million in highway safety funds from the federal government if it passes the primary enforcement bill by June 30th, and enacts it by September 30th of this year—money that can be used for safety-related physical improvements to the state’s roadways, and for traffic safety education and outreach.

Senator Patricia Jehlen, (D-Somerville) Senate sponsor and longtime champion of primary enforcement, remarks “The recent tragedy in my hometown of Somerville that claimed the lives of two young people underscores the need for this legislation. Neither of the two women who died in a crash on McGrath Highway was wearing a seat belt. This legislation will help save lives. It will cut health care costs by millions of dollars by reducing the number of people seriously injured in car crashes, and it will bring in much needed federal revenue. It is time to pass primary enforcement.”

– Information from State Senator Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville, Medford)