Seat-belt bill puts restraints on drivers

e-mail this story print this story Related Related stories: • Seatbelt campaign rides into the Upstate Previous coverage • Most buckle up; a few buck the system • Lack of seat-belt use drives up fatalities Related Web site • Learn about South Carolina's seat belt laws

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He wasn't pleased Wednesday to learn that House lawmakers passed legislation to allow police to stop motorists spotted not wearing a seat belt.

"I'm just against the government telling us what to do," he said.

Jeff Bradt of Simpsonville disagreed. His 15-year-old daughter is learning how to drive. "I just believe firmly that wearing seat belts should be required," he said. "If it's going to be a law, it should be enforced." Both views were heard Wednesday in the House, which passed a bill 81-34 to give police the authority to pull drivers over for seat-belt violations.

Although the law now requires those in a car to wear seat belts, police can't issue a ticket unless they stop the vehicle for another reason. The cost for not buckling up would be $25.

The bill is expected to receive a routine final reading today, then head to the Senate, which passed a different version this year. If the Senate disagrees with the House changes, the differences would have to be re solved in a negotiating committee.

A spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford said the governor would wait until after a final version is produced before deciding whether to veto the bill.

Sanford has threatened a veto if it doesn't address his concerns, which include a higher penalty, reporting such offenses to insurance companies and informing civil juries of such offenses in accident-related trials.

"It's safe to say that he's unlikely to support a bill that doesn't include the concerns that he laid out, " said spokesman Chris Drummond.

The bill's passage came on the same day that law enforcement officials kicked off this year's "Buckle Up" campaign, an effort at raising seat-belt awareness while concentrating enforcement on areas of the state known for frequent accidents.

"It's a victory for South Carolina," Greenville Police Chief Willie Johnson said of the bill's passage. "What this really means is that we're going to have less injuries and less fatalities in this state."

Last year, five motorists died in city traffic accidents, most not wearing seat belts, Johnson said. This year's traffic fatalities in Greenville County have already matched last year's, he said.

House Speaker David Wilkins echoed sentiments from the bill's supporters in praising its passage.

"Statistics clearly show that where primary enforcement is the law, fatal accidents are reduced," Wilkins said. "At the end of the day, this is a simple, common sense way to save lives. For me, even very legitimate issues posed by opponents of this bill paled in comparison to making our roads safer."

Parent David Hammond, whose son graduated from Eastside High last year, described himself and his family as lifelong seat-belt wearers. He praised the legislation as "overdue."

"I think it's excellent," he said.

But Buster Miles of Travelers Rest disagreed. "I'm not real excited," he said. "I thought it was my choice."

Supporters hope the legislation, if enacted, can help drive down the grisly statistics making the state one of the nation's leaders in traffic fatality rates, especially among young drivers.

Last year, 114 teens died in traffic accidents, 20 of whom were wearing seat belts, records show.

Johnson said slightly more than 60 percent of South Carolinians buckle up, compared with about 80 percent nationally.

Supporters have argued that allowing police to stop a motorist for a seat-belt infraction has increased seat-belt usage in states that have made the change.

Rep. Ronald Townsend, an Anderson Republican who spearheaded the legislation in the House, predicted the Senate would balk at the changes and lawmakers would have to negotiate a final version.

The bill came with many amendments, Townsend said, including one to end exemptions for some motorists such as postal carriers, and another to put fines collected into the state's general fund instead of municipalities' coffers.

Police also would have to report the age, race and gender of seat belt violators and officials would have to conduct seat-belt education campaigns in ethnically diverse communities.

"I'm very happy," he said. "I think we've saved some lives." .