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“Click it or ticket ” will soon be a reality for all Minnesotans riding in an automobile.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed a primary seat belt bill into law Thursday that will allow police to pull drivers over simply for failing to wear a seat belt. The law, which will go into effect on June 9, will replace a more than 20-year-old secondary seat belt law that allows officers to ticket someone for not wearing a seat belt only if they first witness a moving violation.
The previous law also only requires that the driver, a front-seat passenger and a passenger in any seat between three and 11-years-old wear a seat belt. The new law requires all passengers — regardless of age or seating position — to wear a seat belt. Violators will face a $25 fine.
Rep. Kim Norton, DFL-Rochester, who co-authored the bill, said her brother was involved in a rolled automobile accident, but was told by officers that he survived because he was wearing his seat belt.
Norton said while her brother’s incident has a happy ending, there are too many automobile crashes in the state that end in fatalities, many because drivers and riders weren’t wearing their seat belt.
There were 325 fatal automobile crashes in 2008, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Of these crashes, 178 involved unbelted drivers and passengers.
Nathan Bowie, MDPS spokesman, said teenagers and young adults are most likely to not wear their seat belt and be involved in unbelted automobile incidents.
Of 48 fatal automobile crashes that involved individuals between the ages of 18-22 last year, more than half of the incidents were unbelted.
“You read the newspaper and you see, ‘ejected from vehicle,’ often, too often,” Norton said. “When you see the word ejected, you read between the lines and it says, ‘not wearing a seat belt.’”
With the signing of the bill Thursday, Minnesota is the 29th state to have a primary seat belt law, according to the Minnesota Seat Belt Coalition.
An analysis done by the University of Minnesota in 2007 found that rural states were the least likely to have a primary seat belt law in place, and more likely to have automobile crash fatalities.
The analysis, done by the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, found that having primary seat belt laws could reduce the number of automobile crash fatalities by about 10 percent in rural areas, Lee Munnich, director of the center said.
“It’s been estimated that the law would save about 40 lives in Minnesota on an annual basis,” Munnich said. “It’s not just about the lives the law directly saves; it’s the lives of the families impacted by those losses.”
Norton said an additional benefit of this bill is the federal dollars that will come into the state.
The federal government, in an effort to promote traffic safety, provided dollars for states who sign primary seat belt laws by June 30. Minnesota will grab about $3.4 million in federal funds for the 2010 fiscal year because of the primary seat belt law, Norton said.
“That was an additional incentive particularly in a year like this when the financial crisis is affecting every single budget,” she said.
But the bill didn’t make it through the Minnesota House of Representatives without changes.
Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, added a requirement to the bill that would allow drivers to exceed the speed limit to pass cars on a two-lane road.
“When you put a new law on the books that would nick someone’s pocket book like this, you should take one off,” Rukavina said on the House floor last week.
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, said that education was the best way to get people to wear their seat belts in Minnesota, which already had an 87 percent compliance with seat belt laws in 2008, according to the MDPS.
Others felt that wearing a seat belt should be voluntary and some feared that the bill could lead to racial profiling. Rep. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis, who voted against the bill, said he has heard from constituents that are afraid they will be pulled over for the wrong reasons.
“I have constituents who have come up to me and have felt racially discriminated by the police,” he said. “We want people to wear their seat belts … but we don’t want people to poo-poo this issue of racial profiling.”
However, Minneapolis Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia said racial profiling is overstated, and said what police profile is behavior.
Garcia said he supports the legislation as a safety measure that will save lives.
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seat belt law
law if the law does not go into effect until June 9th why was I given a ticket for $103...the previous fine was $25?
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seat belt law
Watch out folks. This law consists of a costly deceit not mentioned. If you have your seatbelt on (both harnesses) and your shoulder harness is under your shoulder across chest instead of over the shoulder across chest, they will fine you same ticket as NO SEAT BELT DRIVER!!Click it and still get a ticket if not careful. Many people have no idea of this new pork belly scheme to drum up more revenue for the states. Safety? Most definitely...but, save your money for yourself or your family; don't give a reason for the state to take it to balance their checkbooks.
Seat belt
Well, a little common sense will go a long ways here. The intention of the law is to protect people from harm. If it's not worn properly it isn't effective. It's not the same as a helmet "My choice to take that chance" law because as the driver of a vehicle you have a responsibility to protect yourself as well as others. If you are not properly restrained, you can't control the vehicle in certain situations. You would be using the wheel as a handle and not as a means to control the vehicle. It's hard to drive if your butt is in the passenger's or rear seat.
As a cop (22 years) I have been to scores of crashes and seen too many horrible things. You can only deal with so many hurt and screaming or dead people including children before your tollerence level sinks. It's a lot harder to deal with when you realize a properly worn seatbelt would have prevented so many life changing ordeals.
To hit both sides of the coin, I have only seen one crash where a seatbelt would have caused a death. That was a young man who was struck by a train and was ejected from the vehicle as it burst into flames. For that one instance, I have 100 that say just the opposite.
So, pork belly scheme? I'll try remember it's a scheme the next time I hold a screaming child or have to wait for the wrecker to lift the car off of another dead body.
Thats the job you picked, 22
Thats the job you picked, 22 yrs in, you should understand that! People are gonna die in car crashes and people are gonna get injured either way, end of story! Let people have a right to choose things for themselves, if you die, you knew the risk...
reply
That doesn't mean you should let police pull people over for the pure fact they can see, or think they see someone not wearing a belt. You've given them the easiest way in the world to pull people over. They've used up the whole "You forgot to signal at the light back there." Now it's going to be "Listen, I originally pulled you over for the seatbelt infraction but if you don't cooperate with all my questions I'm gonna pull you out of that car, now I'll ask again, can I search your vehicle???"
The police will be using this pitch thousands of times over. They already have enough control over everything we do. Wasn't it o.k to just let them ticket people if in the course of a stop they issued a ticket? I didn't hear civil rights advocates complain about that. But to make it a "moving violation"? It's not the money people, it's not the safety (the co-author of the bill is the one with the personal story) it's all about giving more control to police.
Seat Belt Law
I'm all for wearing seat belts, I do anyways. The only problem I see for this, is we will now be getting pulled over for no reason at all. Even if we have the seat belt on they can pull us over and say I stopped you because I didn't see your seat belt on. Which it will clearly be, but that won't make a difference. Just another excuse! Also, 3.4 million from the Fed, don't we have enough debt than to be able to shell out more cash as an incentive to do this WTF!
New Seat Belt Law and Classic Cars
I was wondering how the new seat belt law will effect cars that were not equipped with seatbelts. I am talking about Classic cars built before seatbelts were offered. I have a 1957 that did not come factory equipped with seatbelts. Are these cars and trucks exempt from this law? I await you response. Thank you
seat belt law
My understanding thus far is cars made 1964 or earlier are allowed to have one seatbelt. I don't know about "no seat belt". Check the state's seat belt law, it's quite lengthy but should mention. Sorry I couldn't help you. If it doesn't mention it then you will have to call someone who works for the state about it.
Seat Belt Law
The seat belt law 169.686 SEAT BELT USE REQUIRED; PENALTY Subd. 2.Seat belt exemptions.
This section shall not apply to:
(6) a person driving or riding in a passenger vehicle manufactured before January 1, 1965;
I hope you don't mind the copy paste. I just wanted the relevant information to your question. According to the exemptions, you shouldn't have to worry about it. They may change it with the new law so check the Minnesota State Registrar website after the law takes effect. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?year=2008&id=169
Seat Belt Law
Oops, It's the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Sorry for that mistake.
seatbelt law
First off I would like to start by saying this law is nothing but a revinue getter, if seatbelt was that important , school buses would have them,mtc buses would have them, etc..... I mean after all shouldntt protecting our children be important too...by their own numbers that were in this report, "325 fatal automobile crashes in 2008 -- Of these crashes, 178 involved unbelted drivers and passengers" it was a almost a 50/50 chance if a seatbelt was a life saver,
its all about the money, there are many other safety laws that could be made , but this one is the quickest way for the state and "others" to gain money
here is an example:
awhile back in springlake park area I believe there was a bus accident where a minivan ran into the schoolbus, now there were some deaths in the minivan and they said these people were wearing seatbelts, this news report ran one time, NOW if they would not have been wearing seatbelts, this wold have been a huge story and ran for days, they probbly would have had a special report on it also
do others not see this also....................
They have looked into belts
They have looked into belts on buses and may still enact something for them. I do agree buses should have them.
The reason they have not to this point is because of the number of miles travelled vs. the number of injuries. There are very few instances because they are big, yellow, have flashing lights, have strict rules for the drivers etc, etc. That's why they haven't had them to this point. Now, that being said, my daughter was actually injured slightly in a bus that was rearended so I have an intrest in this as well. I just wanted to state why the state has done what they've done so far.
Seat Belt Law
How did this go through?
Ridiculous.
We now live in a police state. Don't call me crazy without investigating yourselves.
The police have been caught on film many times saying they can basically follow you until you eventually do something wrong, or find a way to pull you over. They now can pull over anyone they see not wearing a seatbelt...because that's easy to see from a safe distance behind another car?! Are you kidding me? This is just another way for the police to get a "stop" in. It's like at a mall when people are window shopping, the store owner needs the paying customers to "pull-over" into their establishment so they have a chance to actually make a sale. Without that crucial first step you'll never make any money. Same goes for the police. Instead of "Protecting and Serving" police are now looking for trouble, or to make some happen if they have too. What is the point for in an officer pulling my wife and I over when we're on a date for instance. We're the only car on the road heading home at 1:00 A.M it's pitch dark. A squad pulls out and pulls us over. "I saw you weren't wearing your seatbelt, is that the smell of liquor sir? "Yes, we had one glass of wine at dinner." "Alright, step out we're giving you a sobriety test." "But it's well within my rights...." "So you're refusing the test?!" "Wait, what did I do to deserve getting put into cuffs??" "Sir, it's just until I get a squad here...If you could be patient."
Oh my god people I can only imagine the abuse this is going to cause around the state, let alone near the inner cities. Where have our rights gone?
seat belts
It's all about the money!
Victim of this cash grab
So here is your first documentation of abuse of this law. I see a state trooper coming at me and I check my speed 57 mph. Whew i am good no worries. As he passes me I see he is pulling over and he U turns. He flashes me and I pull over. He comes to the window and says" I pulled you over for no seatbelt" Which I was clearly wearing. He then asks for license and insurance which I hand over figuring he wants to check everything out. No big deal I am legal on every item. He then goes back to his car to run my DL. After 10 minutes he comes back and starts explaining the ticket like they have to do... I ask him how I can get no seatbelt ticket when I am clearly wearing it and he says" You must have put it on after you saw me U turn cause you did not have it on when I drove by you". I have always been told not to argue with cops cause once they write the ticket they cannot change it. I have spoke with 2 attorneys and they tell me the cops word is gold in court and unless I have proof I was wearing it his word will stand. Now I am faced with paying $110 in extortion or taking two days from work and going to court only to most likely paying court costs on top of this highway robbery. Thanks Minnesota.
I dont hate police and I have had pleasent interactions with some officers but if you think all cops are good people you are dead wrong, some are bullies with badges and get kicks out of screwing with people knowing they have no recouse. Face it we are on a playground and lil Tommy law knows the teacher will believe him no matter what, so he bullies the other kids.
RE: New law will enforce seat belt use
It's a big push. Wearing seat belts is the most effective means of reducing risk of fatalities or serious injury especially for Volvo cars. There's no harm on following the law as for considering our safety.
true story
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