Use of seat belts up in Nevada, but not enough, officials say

Monday, Nov. 30, 1998 | 10:30 a.m.

Use of seat belts rose to 76 percent this year, up from 70 percent last year, according to the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety.

"Our goal is to get it even higher," said Joanna Keller, highway safety coordinator. "We want to reach 80 percent next year if we can maintain our momentum."

But safety officials said too many people still don't buckle up. And they plan to ask state lawmakers to make seat belt compliance a primary traffic law, as opposed to a secondary law as it is now.

Under current law, officers cannot pull a vehicle over because an occupant is not wearing a seat belt. Drivers can be cited only if they are first stopped for another violation.

A recent report to Congress said 15 percent more people use seat belts in states with primary laws than in those with secondary laws.

The Nevada Highway Patrol said a survey of surrounding states showed that the percentage of traffic deaths involving non-use of seat belts was lower in states with primary seat belt laws.

A push to make seat belt use a primary law failed in the 1997 Nevada Legislature.

"Nevada is an independent state and statistics show the locals don't use seat belts, especially for short trips," Keller said. "I don't know if they view it as an infringement on their rights."

The use survey found nonresidents are more likely to wear seat belts than Nevadans and women are more likely to wear them than men. Young adults are the least likely to buckle up.

"Any time you put the key in the ignition, you need to be buckled up," Keller said. "In fact, you should put your seat belt on before you put the key in."