| November | December 2005 Volume 79 Issue 6 |
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Commentary Buckle up for the holidays With the holiday season nearly upon us, our “to-do” lists are growing daily. Many of us rush to purchase gifts, decorate our homes and prepare elaborate feasts for friends and family. It's a busy, hectic time that can be dangerous for drivers and their passengers, especially children. During the holidays, in the rush to get things done, we tend to forget basic safety—like using seat belts. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2002, 73% of those who survived a crash where others died were restrained. In that year, seat belts saved an estimated 14,903 lives. Seat belts are the most effective safety device for protecting occupants from being ejected from vehicles—one of the main causes of severe injuries and death in auto crashes. Despite the seat belt advantage, though, unbelted children and adults are still killed or injured every day. The most effective way for a state to increase seat belt use is through primary enforcement laws. Primary enforcement allows a police officer to pull a driver over and issue a citation if the officer observes someone unbelted. Secondary enforcement means a citation can only be written if the officer stops the vehicle for another infraction. States with primary enforcement see higher rates of seat belt usage than those that do not; on average, 84% compared to only 73%. Colorado is a secondary enforcement state, with seat belt usage currently at 79%. In 2003, 488 Coloradans were killed in fatal crashes, including 46 children under the age of 16. Of the 488 total, 59% were riding completely unrestrained—for the 46 children, the figure was 72%. If Colorado enacted a primary seat belt law, the state could prevent approximately 626 serious injuries and save 51 lives while reducing $154 million in related costs each year. AAA Colorado supports such legislation. In fact, AAA has been an active proponent of passenger safety for nearly 100 years. Through educational programs such as AAA Colorado's Safety Village , which has reached thousands of Colorado children on issues including seat belt usage, AAA has also pursued stronger teen driver and child restraint laws, as well as other policy efforts. It will continue to do so in the future. What can you do? Here are some suggestions for all drivers: • Make sure all your passengers are restrained before you get in the car. • Always buckle up before turning on the ignition. • Practice seat belt buckling up with younger passengers. Children learn from our behavior, so lead by example. Make an early New Year's resolution to always buckle up, during the holidays and year round.
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