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A new analysis from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that strengthening Virginia’s seat belt law could help save dozens of lives each year.
Currently, Virginia has a secondary seat belt enforcement law, meaning police officers can only issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt if the driver has already been stopped for another violation. However, if the state adopted primary enforcement, officers could pull someone over solely for failing to wear a seat belt.
Researchers estimate that making the change could reduce traffic fatalities among passengers older than 13 by nearly 6%, potentially saving about 33 lives annually in Virginia.
Chuck Farmer, vice president of research at IIHS, said states with secondary enforcement typically see lower seat belt use among drivers and passengers.
In those states, officers are not allowed to stop someone specifically for a seat belt violation. As a result, compliance tends to be lower compared to states with stricter laws.
Farmer said research has consistently shown that switching to primary enforcement increases seat belt use. As more people wear seat belts, the number of fatal injuries in crashes declines.
Seat belts remain one of the most effective safety features in vehicles, providing critical protection during collisions.
The new IIHS tool compiles data from multiple studies and organizations to estimate how changes to seat belt laws could impact safety in each state.
Farmer said the calculator was designed to be accessible not only to policymakers but also to the general public.
The tool allows users to see their state’s current seat belt law and learn how stronger enforcement could improve roadway safety.
According to IIHS estimates, stronger seat belt laws across the United States could have prevented 277 deaths in 2023 alone.
SOURCE: WHSV3