New seat belt law results in more tickets
Podcast Episode
More Rock County motorists are getting citations for not wearing their seat belts. Kyle Geissler reports. You can read more in Wednesday's Janesville Gazette.
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Chad A. Pearson
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Troy J. Knudson
JANESVILLE — The number of tickets written for seat belt violations has spiked significantly since the state passed a primary seat belt law, according to a Gazette analysis of local law enforcement data.
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office has issued nearly three times the number of seat belt tickets since the law began June 30 compared to the same period in 2008.
The Janesville Police Department has written more than twice as many seat belt tickets since the law began compared to 2008.
Wisconsin’s primary seat belt law allows police to stop and ticket a driver for not wearing a seat belt. Previously, people not buckled up couldn’t be ticketed unless police had another reason to stop the car.
The sheriff’s office expected deputies might write more seat belt tickets under the new law, Cmdr. Troy Knudson said.
“I do think the statistics show a clear trend toward increased enforcement, and certainly the law has made it easier for deputies to enforce those laws,” Knudson said. “We’ve put out the information on the seat belt law in our briefings. We certainly are strong advocates of seat belt use.”
The Janesville Police Department started to pursue seat belt violators more diligently after the law was passed, Sgt. Chad Pearson said.
“It gives us another avenue to try and enforce our traffic laws,” Pearson said. “Traffic enforcement helps to deter other criminal activity.”
The primary seat belt law allows for a fine of $10 and no points against a person's driving record.
Drivers, passengers at least 16 years old and drivers with unrestrained passengers 4 to 16 years old can be fined under the law.
Seat belt usage is higher in states with primary laws, said Dennis Hughes, Wisconsin State Patrol chief of safety programs.
Wisconsin's seat belt use rate is about 74 percent. The state ranks 44th and is below the national average of 83 percent, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Michigan and Illinois have seat belt use rates of more than 90 percent.
“The good news is three out of four people are buckling up,” Hughes said. “The bad news is that is still low relative to the rest of the country and neighboring states.”
The state hopes to see an increase in seat belt use under the new law, he said.
“This was never really about writing more tickets,” Hughes said. “This was about getting people to buckle up.
“That’s the real point of this—to save lives—but you’re not going to save lives unless people buckle up.”
In Wisconsin, a 10 percent increase in safety belt use would save about 44 lives and prevent 650 injuries each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“I think they’re critically important in a serous accident,” Knudson said. “We’ve seen a number of incidents recently of tragedies that could have been avoided if seat belts had been properly used.”
Mar 12, 2010 at 10:13 p.m.
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I agree 110% with bigclarence. If I do not want to wear a seatbelt, so be it, it is my choice and my life as an adult. What is next, stupid govt. stating we must wear a motorcycle helmet or cannot ride 2 up anymore on an ATV? Enough is enough, get off my case and let me live my life the way I want to, not your way. The less govt. interference and wasting taxpayers money, the better. Accidents happen and you cannot do much to prevent them sometimes. Like you say, when your time is up, your time is up. So be it.
Dec 17, 2009 at 3:14 p.m.
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Too lazy to check if it's still there, but WI used to have a law that reduced any lawsuit winnings by 10% if the plaintiff won damages, but was not wearing their seatbelt. I actually don't mind it being primary, as long as it stays at $10. I'll bet you see even more of these when Rock Co. starts using the 'e-cite' (electronic citation) system.
Dec 17, 2009 at 3:09 p.m.
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Rocky: Like I said before, seatbelts can save lives and they can take them. When your time is up it's up, I know from first hand, for 1 I drove tow truck for over 6 years and seen both cases first hand, plus my best friend was killed by being T Boned in the drivers door, yes he was wearing his seat belt but if he wasn't he may have been able to move out of the way. In another case I was called out to a traffic accident on hyway 14 where a lady was killed, I was able to drive the car out of the corn field, cause of death, broken neck from the shoulder belt. When your time is up, it's up nothing you can do about it.
Dec 17, 2009 at 2:29 p.m.
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I've seen a few that could have used them...
Dec 17, 2009 at 1:55 p.m.
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BIG BROTHER AT IT AGAIN! How long before the makers of Mototcycles, Lawn Tractors, ATVs, etc. Plus Bar and Resturant owners who sell food and liquor will be required to install seat belts on bar stools to keep drinkers from falling off?
Dec 17, 2009 at 1:54 p.m.
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Fine. Don't wear your seat belt. But if you are injured or killed as a result of that foolish decision, then your life insurance and health insurance should not have to pay for your foolish decision - nor should you be eligible to receive disability based on that decision. Your choice - you pay for the consequences.
Dec 17, 2009 at 1:46 p.m.
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BIG BROTHER INTERVENS AGAIN.YOU have NO RIGHTS anymore! How long will it be before makers of Motorcycle, Lawn tractors, Four wheelers etc. are FORCED to install seat belts? How soon before the Taverns and Eateries that sell food and spirits have to install seat belts to keep the drinkers from falling off the bar stools?
Dec 17, 2009 at 1:20 p.m.
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So much for the basic American right to be left alone. . . .
Dec 17, 2009 at 10:09 a.m.
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Lots of folks confuse bad management with destiny. ~Kin Hubbard
Dec 17, 2009 at 8:55 a.m.
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All it comes down to is $$$$$$$$, plain and simple. Yes seatbelts can save lives, but they also can take lives. When your time is up, it's up.
Dec 17, 2009 at 4:21 a.m.
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Ok, so if they want to go ahead and say how many lives they'll save by people wearing seat belts in a car, perhaps they will "buckle" down on motorcyclists not required to wear a helmet. I have seen the dmv statistics on that and it isn't pretty either. I wear my seat belt and feel if we have a large box around us and they have like nothing protecting them, why are they not concerned when there have been a tragic number of motorcycle accidents and fatalities when people did not wear a helmet. Perhaps they should make that a law and collect revenue on that.
Dec 16, 2009 at 8:24 p.m.
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I guess this is the thread where the big babies equate endangering themselves with precious liberty.
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:16 p.m.
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http://gazettextra.com/weblogs/latest-ne...
I don't care to repeat myself.
Dec 16, 2009 at 6:03 p.m.
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Why is there an exemption for law enforcement officers "under circumstances in which compliance could endanger the safety of the operator or another"? What about circumstances that could endanger the citizen driver?
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347.48(2m)(dm)
(dm) Paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) do not apply to the operation of an authorized emergency vehicle by a law enforcement officer or other authorized operator under circumstances in which compliance could endanger the safety of the operator or another.
Dec 16, 2009 at 5:27 p.m.
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yes i wear my seat belt anytime i.m in a car and i think belt do safe lives but i also belive as adult we should be able to make that choice 2 wear or not as adult we make decision ever day that could take lives .for kid's they should be in a seat belt they do't have the choice
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