'A law you can live with'

Motorists who choose not to wear their seat belts while driving will soon risk more than death or injury they will risk being stopped by a law enforcement officer.

On June 30, Arkansas will become the 27th state to enact a primary seat belt law, meaning officers may make a traffic stop on the primary violation of a driver, or front-seat passenger, who is not buckled.

Although the threat of receiving a ticket for not buckling up will be present, both state and local law enforcement say the law is more focused on saving lives.

Officer Sharen Carter of the Conway Police Department said Wednesday she and her fellow officers are pleased with the safety this law provides.

"We're very happy this law has been enacted," Carter said. "But it's not about issuing citations. It's primarily about saving lives."

According to Ann Whitehead, safety program manager for the Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office, the new seat belt law is being coined "a law you can live with."

Whitehead also offered some statistics to prove just how many people may live by following this law.

"The purpose of this new law is to save lives and prevent injuries on Arkansas roadways," Whitehead said Wednesday. "It will save approximately 50 lives each year and prevent more than 500 injuries each year."

Carter added, "Your chances are pretty good if you are wearing a seat belt and you are involved in a severe crash."

According to Carter, June 30 will just be "business as usual" for Conway police officers; however, she added motorists should not be surprised if they are pulled over for not wearing a seat belt.

"It's just another law we'll be required to follow, but it's one that is really going to make a difference," Carter said.

According to a press release from the Arkansas State Police, a news conference was recently held to remind the public of the June 30 effective date. Col. Winford E. Phillips, director of the Arkansas State Police and Gov. Mike Beebe's Highway Safety representative, reminded those present of the law's importance.

"We hope motorists will buckle up regardless of any change in enforcement because they are law abiding citizens," Phillips said in the release. "More tickets is not the focus of this legislation. It is the hope of law enforcement that seat belt use goes up so high we do not have to write a single ticket and as a result have fewer fatal crashes to handle."

Sen. Hank Wilkins IV and Rep. Fred Allen were the authors of the legislation that enacted this law. Wilkins said in the release that the time was right for the law to pass.

"Seat belt legislation has been reviewed for the past six consecutive legislative sessions," Wilkins said. "It's an easy thing to do. Buckling up does not cost anything, and it only takes three seconds so it's definitely worth the time it takes. Lives of Arkansans are saved each year because they wear their seat belts."

According to the press release, when worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans.

(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)