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Promise Of Federal Money May Aid State Seat Belt Law

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The Associated Press

Published: March 4, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - Supporters of a seat belt enforcement bill, who say it would save hundreds of lives, are hoping the lure of federal money will help end years of frustration in trying to pass the measure in Florida.

The bill (HB 1) easily cleared the House Roads, Bridges & Ports Policy Committee on Wednesday, but the Senate has always been the sticking point in the past.

It would make failing to buckle a primary offense, subject to a ticket even if a driver committed no other violations. Although state law requires drivers and passengers to wear seat belts, officers currently can issue seat belt citations only to those stopped for other violations.

"We strongly believe that we need a primary bill," Laura Marchetti told the panel on the third anniversary of her daughter Katie's death. "We need to show our children how important it is to wear a seat belt."

The Tampa area woman said her 16-year-old daughter was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the car in which she was riding when it crashed on Interstate 75. Another vehicle then ran over her. Her boyfriend had been driving and fell asleep at the wheel.

Former Rep. Irv Slosberg, whose daughter Dori died in a similar fashion, said this year is Florida's last chance to get $37 million in federal transportation safety dollars in exchange for passing such a law.

"It's transportation dollars that we could use for (safety) education or we could use for other things," Sloshberg said in an interview. "Money talks — however, from my point of view this is all about saving lives."

He said his 14-year-old daughter probably would be alive today if such a law had been on the books 13 years ago. She was one of five passengers, none wearing a seat belt, killed in a 1996 crash. Others who wore belts survived.

Slosberg said the driver probably would have required everyone to buckle up for fear of paying a hefty fine if police could have stopped them solely for the seat belt violations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates such a law would save 124 lives and prevent 1,733 serious injuries every year in Florida.

At least 26 states and the District of Columbia have a primary enforcement law for seat belts.

American Civil Liberties Union lobbyist Larry Spalding argued that it would increase the chances of racial profiling — police pulling over motorists simply because they are members of racial or ethnic minorities.

Its supporters include organizations representing police chiefs, auto manufactures and dealers and pediatricians. The AAA auto club and Florida Highway Patrol also back the bill.

Slosberg, of Boca Raton, first ran for the Legislature in 2000 in response to his daughter's death. He sponsored the seat belt bill and other highway safety measures until 2006 when he ran for the Florida Senate but lost in the Democratic primary.

Rep. Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City, now is sponsoring the bill that's been dubbed the Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law. It'll have two more committee hearings. A similar Senate bill has not yet been heard in committee.

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