Using research to support primary legislation

Dove-tailing with its research and education activities is the Alliance’s public policy efforts. Whether providing scientific research or testifying before house and senate committees, the Alliance actively supports the passage of primary enforcement laws.*

Dr. Wayne Moore, chief of emergency medicine at Nashville General Hospital at Meharry, told legislators in Arkansas that traffic crashes were the leading cause of death for black children and the second leading cause for black teens. "The disease is lack of seat belt use," he said. "The vaccine is a primary seat belt law."

Seat Belt Champion Award

To recognize legislators for their support of primary seat belt legislation, the Meharry-State Farm Alliance created the Seat Belt Champion Award, which was first presented in 2003. By Fall 2010 the MSFA will have presented 22 Seat Belt Champion Awards to state legislators for their support of primary enforcement laws in their respective states. Many of these public servants labored tirelessly for the safety of their citizens. One young senator eventually became a U.S. senator for the state of Illinois. He is now known as President Barack Obama. See a complete list of award recipients.

From the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. For an interactive version of this map, click here.

*Primary enforcement laws enable officers to pull over drivers for not wearing their seat belts. In secondary law states, drivers cannot be ticketed for driving without their seat belts unless they have been stopped for another reason.