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A large group of diverse organizations is lobbying the legislature this session for a primary seatbelt law.

"Anyone with anything to do with medicine is on this list, we've got them all," said coalition spokesperson Dennis Jungmeyer. "We have 40, maybe 50 endorsing organizations that are pushing for this."

This isn't the first time a primary seatbelt law has made a run in Arkansas. In 1999, legislation passed the Senate but failed in the House. This time, though, Jungmeyer thinks it will be successful.

"I think it is our time," he noted. "All the contiguous states, absent of Missouri, have the law and we have the real commitment of the automobile industry."

But the goal isn't really new legislation, just to amend the current law so that a vehicle could be detained for violation. But, Jungmeyer said, the fine would be minimal and would be used to increase seatbelt usage.

The numbers are compelling.

· The overall economic impact of traffic crashes in Arkansas was estimated to be $1.965 billion in 2000.

· Arkansas had the third highest traffic fatality rate (per 100 million vehicle miles traveled) in the country in 2004.

· Less than two out of three Arkansans routinely use their safety belts.

And if more Arkansans started wearing seatbelts, some 50 fatalities could be prevented and $104 million could be saved in annual economic costs.

March 2007

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