Child Seat Belt Laws
Strong seat belt laws and education have made a difference in the last few years. Many more people are putting seat belts on themselves and their children. However, there are some people that either refuse or do not understand the importance of wearing a seat belt or putting their child in a child safety seat.
Primary and Secondary enforcement laws are two different types of child seat belt laws. If an officer observes you driving without a seat belt and stops to give you ticket for the offense he/she is acting under primary enforcement law. If an officer stops you for another offense, notices that you do not have your seat belt on, and gives you a ticket for the offense he/she is acting under secondary law. Primary laws have made a difference because more people are using seat belts and using child safety seats for their children. The belief is that people are afraid of receiving a ticket so they use seat belts. A study in June 2002 found that the states that enacted primary enforcement laws had a higher percentage of people wearing seat belts, eleven percent more. Eleven percent may not seem like much, but it really is and the laws have saved many lives.
