Interpretation ID: nht87-3.9

TYPE: INTERPRETATION-NHTSA

DATE: 10/7/87

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Erika Z. Jones; NHTSA

TO: Mr. Tom George

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT:

Mr. Tom George P.O. BOX 475 Howard, KS 67349

Dear Mr. George:

Secretary Dole has asked me to respond to your letter to her, in which you asked why we believe it is necessary to have laws mandating the use of safety belts. You stated that you believe a public education campaign about safety belt use would have been sufficient. I am pleased to have this opportunity to explain our position to you.

During thy past decade, 470,000 persons have died on American highways. Each year, an estimated 300,000 are injured seriously enough to require hospital treatment. These traffic deaths and injuries have resulted in an annual cost to society of approximat ely 57 billion dollars resulting from such costs as emergency medical services, long-term medical care and rehabilitation, worker's compensation, welfare payments, and lost tax revenue.

Numerous analysis have shown that safety belts reduce fatalities by 40-50 percent and reduce serious injuries by 45-55 percent. I have enclosed copies of a safety belt face sheet and several pamphlets we have published explaining how and why safety belts are so effective. Because of the extensive body of evidence about the effectiveness of safety belts, the United States Supreme Court has said, "We start with the accepted ground that, if used, seatbelts unquestionably would have many thousands of lives and would prevent tens of thousands of crippling injuries."

This Department and other groups tried many public education efforts to make these facts known to the public, with the anticipation that more people would use safety belts when they knew the facts. Despite these efforts, the rate of usage for safety belt s did not change substantially from what it had been in 1967. As recently as 1983, the overall safety belt usage rate for front seat occupants Has only slightly above 12 percent.

This trend suggested that public education campaign alone would not substantially reduce unnecessary deaths and injuries on our highways. In an effort to protect their citizens by substantially reducing vehicle-related deaths and injuries, and to reduce the financial burden on their taxpayers, 29 Stated and the District of Columbia have enacted safety belt use laws. I want to emphasize that each of these state legislatures made their own decisions with respect to safety belt use laws. This Department ne ither has nor seeks any authority to withhold. Federal funds if states do not adopt or repeal safety belt use laws. We do, however, believe that safety belt use laws are more than justified by the possibility of achieving substantial reductions in vehicl e-related deaths and injuries, and reducing the financial burden on thy taxpayers. The available data show that among front seat occupants, safety belts saved about 2,200 lives in 1986, and 1,750 of those lives were saved in States that have safety belt use laws.

We agree with you, however, that safety belt use laws alone may not ensure long-term increased usage of safety belts. Simply requiring persons to wear their safety belts does not get to the heart of the problem of non-usage: lack of knowledge and negativ e attitudes regarding occupant restraints. experience has shown that a combination of usage requirements and information and education campaigns are the most effective way to get more people to wear their safety belts. Therefore, we have continued our pu blic information and education campaigns about safety belts, as has the State of Kansas. As a result of these combined efforts, our most recent data show that the overall safety belt usage rate for front seat occupants is now slightly above 40 percent.

We in the Department of Transportation are committed reducing as much as possible the deaths and injuries on our nation's roads. This mission can only succeed with the cooperation and input of concerned citizens like yourself. Thank you for taking the ti me to express your concerns, and please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns about our programs.

Sincerely, Erika Z. Jones Chief Counsel

September 4, 1987

The Honorable Elizabeth R. Dole Secretary of Transportation 400 7th Street, SW Washington, DC 20590

Dear Mrs. Dole:

My name is Tom George and I am a senior at West Elk High School in Howard, Kansas. I have a few questions to ask you.

Why do you feel it is necessary to make the use of seat belts a law? I understand the effectiveness of seat belts in saving lives, but is it necessary to make it mandatory by law? I personally feel public service announcements educating the general public about seat belt use would have been sufficient.

Sincerely yours,

Tom George

Tom George P.O. Box 475 Howard, KS 67345