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Bill To Tighten Seat Belt Law Advancing At Capitol

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Apr 28, 2009 8:14 pm US/Mountain

Bill To Tighten Seat Belt Law Advancing At Capitol

Reporting
Terry Jessup
DENVER (CBS4/AP) ― With up to $14 million in federal aid on the line, Colorado lawmakers are again trying to tighten the state's seat belt law.

Colorado law requires drivers to buckle up, but violators can only be ticketed if they're pulled over for another traffic offense and then found not to be wearing a seat belt. The Senate Transportation Committee backed the measure (Senate Bill 296) in a 4-3 party-line vote Tuesday, with all Democrats backing it and all Republicans opposed. It now goes to the full Senate.

"We know that states with primary enforcement have a higher safety belt usage rate, and this saves lives," paramedic Ray Cuellar said to a rally outside the State Capitol on Tuesday.

"It does impact everybody. You know a child might be left orphaned if their parent is killed, if they're not belted," Todd Porter with Safe Kids Buckle Up said. "We know that seat belts will save about 50 percent of lives in severe crashes."

Previous attempts to change the law have failed because of concerns about civil liberties and racial profiling despite the promise of millions in federal grant money for transportation.

This year's proposal says officers must clearly observe that drivers aren't wearing a seat belt before making a stop. Violators would be fined $75, $10 more than current law.

This is the last year lawmakers have a chance to change the law and get more federal money.

Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Stacey Stegman said the federal program is set to expire in September. She said Colorado could get between $12 million and $14 million if it changes its law, depending on how many other states also squeeze in under the deadline. Some of the money must be used for safety programs, but most of it could be spent on construction projects.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Arkansas became the 27th state to make failing to buckle up a primary offense last month. It says 82 percent of drivers in Colorado used seat belts in 2008, one percentage point less than the national average.

At the Senate Transportation Committee hearing lawmakers heard the other side, including those who say whether to buckle up or not is a personal freedom.

"This is government's intrusion on personal accountability and responsibility," said Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley. "Where do you stop? Government can't hold everybody's hand all of the time and we can't control people and protect people from everything … we have to trust people."

The clock is also ticking in Colorado because lawmakers must wrap up this year's session by next Wednesday. The bill was introduced late last week and is just starting its journey through the Legislature.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood, and state Rep. Su Ryden, D-Aurora.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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