News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 14, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Nelsa Brodie, Washington State Patrol 360-753-5299; Jonna VanDyk, Washington Traffic Safety Commission, 360-586-0297 or 360-786-4265

Gov. Gary Locke, WSP Chief Statements on Supreme Court Decision Upholding State’s Seat Belt Law

Gov. Gary Locke and Washington State Patrol (WSP) Chief Lowell Porter issued the following statements regarding the Washington State Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the state’s seat belt law:

“This is wonderful news since it is proven that seat belts really do save lives,” Locke said. “Seat belt use in Washington is among the highest in the world, with a use rate at 94 percent. We can now continue these efforts uninterrupted.”

When the seat belt law was passed in 1986, only 36 percent of motorists buckled up.

“When we chart our vehicle death rate and our seat belt use rate, it’s easy to see just how important high seat belt use is in reducing deaths and serious injuries from vehicle collisions,” Porter said. “Since the primary seat belt law went into effect, more than 65 lives per year have been saved and fatality collisions in our state are down two percent,” he added.

The seat belt law saves between $12 million and $40 million in hospital costs for unbuckled motorists, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Higher insurance premiums, higher emergency room and long-term hospitalization costs, and medical costs paid by Medicaid and Medicare all add to the tab society pays when people don’t buckle up.

“We work with the emergency responders who deal with collisions on Washington roads on a daily basis and know full well the tragedies that occur when people don’t buckle up,” said Steve Lind, acting director of the Traffic Safety Commission. “A minor fender bender can easily become a fatal collision when the seat belt isn’t worn. Even at 35 miles per hour, the crash forces are the same as though you jumped out a third story window. We are pleased and incredibly relieved by today’s Supreme Court action.”


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