Beginning June 30, 2009, driving in Florida without wearing a seatbelt will be a primary offense. Currently, F.S. 316.614(8) considers failure to wear a seat belt a secondary offense. The new bill S344 makes the offense a primary offense.<\/p>\n
The difference between secondary and primary offenses is that a citation can only be issued for a secondary offense when the driver is pulled over for some other reason; a primary offense. Currently, drivers can not be pulled over just because they’re not wearing their seatbelts. An officer would have to pull the driver over for a primary offense, such as a broken tail light, failure to yield, in proper backing, etc., in order to issue a citation for not wearing a seat belt.<\/p>\n
As of June 30, 2008, there were 27 states who had primary safety belt laws in effect. According to NHTSA: “Research has found that lap\/shoulder seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent. In 2006 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 15,383 lives (Traffic Safety Facts: 2006 Data, NHTSA, DOT HS 810807). For more information on the campaign by NHTSA and the States to increase seat belt use, see http:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/link\/ciot.htm<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Bill S344 is titled “Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law”. Former state representative Irv Slosberg took up the cause after his 14-year-old daughter Dori, died in a car crash in Boca Raton. Four other teens also died in the high-speed wreck 13 years ago. None were wearing a seat belt. You can search for new bills passed by legislature by visiting the Florida Senate website. Use the “Search Bill Text” field on the left rail.<\/p>\n