Mississippi's Primary Safety Belt Law Saves Lives

In 2008 Ms. lost 83 drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 years old to car crashes. 60 of those were not wearing a seatbelt.

According to the Mississippi Highway Patrol, last year nearly 800 people died on Mississippi roads The majority of those were not wearing a seatbelt. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports what impact if any the states seatbelt law has on driver safety.

Driving without buckling up was a hard lesson to learn for 19 year old James Gant of Canton.
“I had to get my license reinstated because they suspended my liscence because I didn’t pay the ticket for no seat belt.”

Before getting the ticket Gant says he never wore a seat belt.

“But once you get a couple of tickets for not wearing your seat belt it starts opening your eyes. And you have friends and they have wrecks and if they would have had the seat belt on they would have survived. And you know it starts sinking in a lot and it’s for a reason that they made the law.”

In 2006 Mississippi became the 22nd state to implement a primary safety belt law. Since that time the number of tickets issued has sky rocketed. And although the number of Mississippi drivers choosing to buckle up has increased, Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner, Steven Simpson says there is still more to be done.

“The reductions are slower than we would like them to be. And there are fewer lives saved than we would like to have. The importance of seatbelt safety continues to be a priority.”

Research shows the use seatbelts increase when laws are in place. But according to Kenneth Copeland with the National Highway Safety Administration Mississippi still lags behind.

“You’re only at 72%. So you know, most of the states. Texas has a primary seatbelt law. Right now there at 94% utilization so Mississippi can do better.”

In 2008 nearly 40 thousands tickets were issued for not wearing a seat belt. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.