Primary Enforcement of the Seat Belt Bill Contains Something for Everyone

BURNSVILLE, Minn., April 20 -- Traffic safety is of paramount importance to the AAA Clubs of Minnesota and its more than 600,000 members across the state. On average, more than 550 Minnesotans die every year on our roadways and that number is not only tragic, but also completely unacceptable. There are many traffic safety initiatives supported by AAA being considered this legislative session and primary enforcement of the seat belt law is one of our top issues, as well as child passenger safety and graduated drivers licensing reform.

"The primary seat belt bill has something for everyone. If you are a humanitarian, you can feel good about saving upwards of 40 lives and preventing more than 400 injuries on an annual basis. If you are a fiscal conservative, you can feel good knowing this bill does not spend one single dime out of the state's general fund. If you are libertarian in nature, you can feel good about the fact that fewer deaths and injuries means less infringement on the health care system supported by tax payers," stated Gail Weinholzer, AAA Minnesota/Iowa.

Above and beyond these reasons are the financial incentives offered by the reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU, where $15 million dollars made available to Minnesota could be used for center rumble strips, median protection systems, or any other safety measure MNDOT would feel appropriate.

"Our members overwhelmingly support primary enforcement of the seat belt by at least 70 percent in every survey we have taken over the past decade. We hope the legislature will finally do the right thing this session and support primary enforcement of the seat belt," said Dawn Duffy, AAA Minneapolis.

AAA offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services to more than 48 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA Minnesota/Iowa is part of The Auto Club Group, with 4.1 million members in eight Midwest states. AAA Minneapolis serves nearly 178,000 members in Hennepin County.