Supporters of a tougher seat belt law can claim a tentative victory. Fewer people have died on South Carolina roads this year.

In fact, the drop in fatalities has been higher than 20 percent -- certainly cause for cheering. The reason for fewer fatalities may very well be the tougher seat belt law that went into effect last December.

From January though May 16, 264 people died in accidents in cars, trucks or vans. That's 66 fewer deaths than last year during the same period.

If only one additional life was saved thanks to a tougher seat belt law, it was worth it. It's not unreasonable to believe the new law, however, has saved far more lives than one -- and it's only been on the books six months. There's no doubt that in a traffic accident, a driver or passenger wearing a seat belt is much less likely to be killed than someone who is unbuckled.

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Since the law went into effect on Dec. 9, Highway Patrol troopers have issued 42,510 seat belt tickets, compared with 14,785 during the same time last year, according to a recent story by Greenville News writer Tim Smith.

The new law allows police to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt. Before the new law, drivers could be ticketed for not wearing a seat belt only if they were pulled over for another violation.

In addition to the new law, the Highway Patrol believes the state's safety campaign also deserves some credit for the reduction in fatalities. That's probably true, and clearly the effort to save more lives on South Carolina's roads requires a multifaceted approach. The state still has 30,000 miles of secondary and largely rural roads that are poorly constructed and maintained. Meanwhile, the state Highway Patrol remains sorely understaffed -- a situation that gives free rein to too many reckless and drunken drivers on our roads.

Still, the seat belt law no doubt has saved lives by encouraging people to buckle up -- or face a fine. There's probably an intangible effect that goes along with the tougher law as well: The state is sending a message that it's more serious about cracking down on unsafe driving.

With about 1,000 people dying every year in car accidents in South Carolina, this state for many years has been notorious for having some of the deadliest roads in the nation. Any reversal of that horrible distinction is to be applauded. The stronger seat belt law has contributed to making our roads safer. The Legislature, which bickered over the seat belt law for years, should have adopted it long ago.