Seat belt effort delivering results

By JOEL LOURIE

Guest columnist

I am grateful for Saturday’s editorial in The State on seat belt usage (“Road deaths drop thanks to seat belt law, extra troopers”). I want to share my perspective on the three years it took to settle on a primary seat belt law.

It all started in the S.C. House of Representatives in 2003, and for the next three years, both chambers went back and forth with different bills and intense debates, then reached an important compromise that passed the House and Senate in June 2005.

I remember waiting up until midnight on the final day for the decision of the governor. Earlier, I had been on the phone with many friends from different safety organizations who had worked tirelessly to help pass this important piece of legislation. Like me, they were eagerly awaiting some news. Three years of hard work, and it all came down to one single action. Ultimately, the bill became law without the governor’s signature and went into effect on Dec. 9, 2005.

What has transpired since has been a great success story for improving highway safety in South Carolina. As of Aug. 13, there were 99 fewer fatalities this year than last. This is an incredible figure, because when we considered the potential impact of a mandatory seat belt law, it was anticipated that a conservative figure of 70 to 100 lives would be saved the first year. Well, it is mid-August, and we have already saved almost 100 lives. No doubt, we have also prevented many critical injuries as well.

The most recent seat belt usage data also reflect that South Carolinians are buckling up at a greater rate. In June, a study conducted by the University of South Carolina statistics department, in accordance with federal guidelines, found that seat belt usage in our state had increased. Also, according to information from the S.C. Department of Public Safety, the number of people killed who had access to seat belts but were not wearing them has gone down from 72 percent to 65 percent. Again, another strong indication that our new law is working and our citizens are reacting in a positive way.

Other encouraging news was announced earlier this year when we were notified that our state would be receiving $10.5 million for a federal grant to be used for highway safety and driver education initiatives. This one-time funding will greatly assist our efforts to promote increased awareness of the need to wear seat belts and will improve our ability to collect and analyze collision data.

When evaluating how our new law is working to save lives, it is important to give credit and praise to the men and women who work in law enforcement. Not surprisingly, they have been diligent, professional and consistent. For any law to work, it must be properly enforced. And from all accounts, our folks both in state and local agencies are doing an excellent job.

I want to close by saying this: One highway fatality is one too many. But we have a chance to make history this year, and perhaps for many years thereafter. The citizens of our state have responded overwhelmingly. People have become more attuned to the importance of buckling up, and this is a message that we must spread from parents to children, and neighbor to neighbor.

One of those lives saved could well be your own.

Mr. Lourie has represented Richland and Kershaw counties in the S.C. Senate since 2005. He had served previously in the S.C. House from 1999 to 2004.