(Columbia) May 19, 2005 - Motorists in South Carolina will have to buckle up or pay a $25 fine under a bill approved in the House on Wednesday. The House voted 81-34 to allow law enforcement to stop motorists who fail to wear a seatbelt.

Currently, adult drivers can be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt only if they are stopped for another violation.

In 2002, Joy Grooms Batchelor lost her three sons in a terrible drunk-driving accident, "I live everyday walking past empty bedrooms. My children will not come walking back in the house."

None of her children were wearing seatbelts and while the proposed seatbelt legislation wouldn't affect them, some believe primary enforcement would save lives.

The bill will now head back to the Senate. It's the same place it died last year with strong opposition from Senator Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston), "I think it's a good chance it's going to pass."

One senator told WIS more law enforcement on the road strengthens the law. Senator Brad Hutto (D-Orangeburg) says attitudes have also changed, "I think people have reflected on it and learned more facts about it and realized we had a tremendous loss of life between last session and this session."

Senator McConnell still opposes the bill on libertarian principles, "You have to be careful of allowing the police in small towns to get overzealous and this thing turns into a collection plate mechanism." He doesn't believe it would save as many lives as people think, but realizes he's fighting against the tide, "There just aren't that many of us."

It's not a done deal. The Senate is expected to take up the bill next week. WIS talked with one senator Thursday afternoon who told News 10 he's going to try his best to beat the bill.

Updated 6:44pm by BrettWitt with AP