Seat belts

The Kansas City Star

Some drivers who object to seat-belt laws say the use of safety devices is none of the government's business. But the issue is not that simple. The costs of fatalities and injuries aren't borne only by those who are directly involved in crashes.

That's why the Missouri House Transportation Committee should endorse a stronger seat-belt law when it considers the measure this week. The bill has already been passed by the Senate.

The effects of seat-belt use have been studied exhaustively and the results show conclusively that seat belts save lives.

Under current Missouri law, drivers can't be ticketed solely for failing to use seat belts unless there are children younger than 16 in the car who aren't properly restrained. A seat-belt violation is usually an add-on fine: Drivers can be ticketed only if they have been pulled over for some other infraction.

Missouri is one of 28 states that have "secondary" seat-belt laws. In those states, about 73 percent of motorists buckle up. In Missouri, the compliance rate is a bit higher -- 76 percent.

The compliance rate in states with "primary" laws such as the one under consideration in Missouri, however, is 84 percent. Based on that pattern, officials calculate that a primary law would boost the compliance rate in Missouri to 87 percent, which would translate to about 90 fewer deaths and 1,000 fewer serious injuries on the roads per year.

The economic savings would be considerable. That would mean lower workers' compensation and medical costs, and it could mean lower insurance rates. It would also mean lower Medicaid costs, which are paid by taxpayers. Many of those involved in car crashes have no health insurance.

By one estimate, offered by the National Safety Council, Missouri's Medicaid savings from a primary seat-belt law would exceed $100 million over 10 years.

So it isn't strictly an issue of personal freedom. More than 1,200 people die every year on Missouri's roads. The economic costs affect everyone who drives. It's time for Missouri to join those states with a "primary" seat-belt law.