The Associated Press

Fri, Jan 9, 2009 (1:54 p.m.)

The sputtering economy may give Georgia legislators the extra push they need to require adults in pickup trucks to wear seat belts _ changing the law would instantly give the state about $4 million in federal highway funds.

The effort has become an annual crusade. Supporters of the change come to legislators armed with frightening statistics about the number of lives that could be saved and accidents avoided if the law was tweaked. Yet Georgia has defiantly held out, becoming the last state in the nation to specifically exempt adults in pickups from buckling up.

But those pushing it point out that Georgia's cash-strapped budget faces a deficit that could exceed $2 billion. The state could use the $4 million grant on road safety programs and save an estimated $62 million each year in accident-related expenses such as medical costs. Only New Hampshire still has no seat belt requirement for all adult drivers, costing that state $3.7 million in grants in 2007.

"The budget crisis will give this more momentum," said Georgia state Sen. Don Thomas, a Republican physician who has long championed the change. "It's better to prevent this than to plan funerals."

The federal government has long tied highway money to seat belt laws. Georgia already requires minors to wear seat belts and adults to wear them in all vehicles except pickups.

That one exception has prevented the state from cashing in.

There's little doubt that requiring adults to wear seat belts can help save lives. The National Highway Safety Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation estimate changing the law would save 21 lives and prevent 300 injuries each year.

No lobbyists are actively working against the effort, and insurance companies and auto associations have long supported the changes. But attempts to pass a tougher seat belt law have for years been blocked by mostly rural legislators who see the rule as unnecessary regulation.

"Adults ought to be smart enough to wear seat belts. We should be responsible enough to do it without having a state law that says so," said state Sen. Jeff Chapman, a Republican from Brunswick who voted against the proposal last year and will vote against it this year.

That sentiment strikes a chord with pickup drivers in rural parts of the state.

"I use common sense in my life, and in common sense, I'm going to use a seat belt," said Dennis Lewis, a 50-year-old pickup driver who runs a concession stand in southeast Georgia. "Do I need another law on the books to say I must use seat belts? I don't think so."

Indiana once took a similar position as Georgia, but the state in 2007 passed the adult seat belt law for pickups.

The Georgia Senate has passed proposals to change the seat belt requirements in recent years, but the measures often were bottled up in the House. Through a spokesman, House Speaker Glenn Richardson didn't comment on the measure.

But a growing number of political heavyweights say the time is ripe to at least seriously consider a change.

A spokesman for Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle said the Senate would give the measure a "fair hearing and consideration." Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue said last month that a debate was appropriate.

"I don't necessarily think we ought to do it for the federal money," Perdue said. "But the kids I'm concerned about are those that are in the modern-day pickups, when they get a crowd of friends in there, and they're fooling around."

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On the Net:

Georgia Legislature, http://www.legis.ga.gov/