Contact: Jonathan Adkins
202-789-0942
jadkins@ghsa.org

Today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation showing 40 states achieving higher seat belt use rates in 2003 than the year before is truly welcome news. Increasing seat belt use has been a top priority for State Highway Safety Offices so we are particularly heartened to see that the effort is succeeding.

A 79 percent national seat belt use rate-the highest in the nation's history- is a great accomplishment, but more work needs to be done. States will continue to conduct high-visibility enforcement campaigns to remind the public to buckle up. Those that do not obey the law will be ticketed. There are no excuses, and no exceptions.

GHSA continues to urge every state to pass a primary seat belt law-a proven action that will increase belt use and save lives as well as public health costs. Congress can help states pass these laws by providing large incentives grants to states to reward passage of a primary seat belt bill. Congress should also alter the lobbying regulations that restrict State Highway Safety Offices from advocating safety legislation. Currently, even if a governor supports passage of a primary bill, that governor's highway safety office cannot actively support passage of the bill.

Today's announcement is a good reminder for drivers to make wise choices behind the wheel, especially with the deadly holiday driving season quickly approaching. Too many of our friends and neighbors will not be around the Thanksgiving dinner table because of roadway crashes. Increasing seat belt use means that these preventable tragedies will be less frequent.

Note to Editors: Information about state by state seat belt use is available at nhtsa.dot.gov.

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For more information, please contact GHSA at (202) 789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org .

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Indian Nation. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans.