Seatbelt Safety Coalition
 Did you know, motor vehicle-related injury is the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged one to 24 in the United States?  Six out of ten children who die in crashes are unrestrained even though child restraint laws have been in place across the country for approximately the last fifteen years.  When you don’t wear your seat belt, it is everybody’s business. If you survive an unbelted car crash, you are likely to sustain an extremely serious disabling injury, are often between the ages of 17 – 24 and are likely to incur substantial health care expenditures over the course of your lifetime.   The decision not to buckle up is clearly associated with costs borne by public agencies supported by our tax revenues.

A 15 percent increase in seat belt use, like that experienced by others states after they have passed a primary enforcement seatbelt law, would prevent 3,000-4,000 injuries and save Massachusetts an estimated $80 million in healthcare, taxes and insurance costs (NHTSA).  Passage of a primary seat belt law would result in the immediate prevention of at least two disabling injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI).  Motor vehicle crash victims who suffer these disabling injuries have direct long-term consequences on our Medicaid budget.  Seat belt use is key to maximizing the lifesaving benefits of air bags and to reducing the staggering number of people who are killed, injured and disabled in crashes every year.  The issue of seat belt use remains a major public health and public safety concern.

In Massachusetts, many organizations, corporations, government agencies and health care professionals have partnered to mobilize an intensive campaign designed to increase the proper use of seat belts and child safety seats.  The Seat belts Are For Everyone, “SAFE”, Coalition is working to build support for stepped up enforcement of our current seat belt law through the passage of a primary seat belt law. Massachusetts has a 63% compliance rate with its secondary seat belt law.  A total of 22 states and the District of Columbia now have such standard seat belt laws, which allow police to stop and ticket a driver just like other traffic violations. People have different levels of tolerance for risk and education alone is not sufficient to change behavior.  The literature demonstrates that high-risk behavior is commonly associated with increased injury severity and cost.  Trauma victims exhibiting high-risk behavior more often depend on public agencies to cover the cost of acute injury.  Enactment of a primary law sends a message to the public that seat belt use is an important safety issue that the State takes seriously.  The greatest impact lies in legislative requirements for public safety and self-protection.

Please click on the enclosed Draft letter and tell your state senator and state representative to support the passage of a primary seat belt law.  Please include a copy of the fact sheet and the list of Coalition members with your letter.  For a list of your state lawmakers, and their room numbers, look at www.ma.gov and click to “your government – elected officials”. 

  "Print out editorial/news" on Pending Seat Belt Law.
Print out a form letter to your Representative.
Print out Coalition Members.
Print out Fact Sheet Data.
Print out Pediatric Data.
Print out Members Form.
Print Out Ejections.
Print out data from other states:

Join Us on the S.A.F.E. Coalition

Mission: The mission of the SAFE Coalition is to increase seatbelt use among all residents in Massachusetts and to reduce motor vehicle related fatalities and injuries and its corresponding costs by upgrading the current seatbelt law.   

Primary seat belt laws work…

Primary seat belt laws have a proven track record of increasing a State’s seat belt use rate.  By preventing and reducing debilitating motor vehicle crash injuries that often result in Medicaid eligibility and long-term service provision, the primary seat belt law provides a budget neutral means of directly reducing health care expenditures for the Commonwealth.

To print out the above Fact Sheet Data click here:

Why Support a Primary Seat Belt Law?  Primary seat belt law work...

·        Primary seat belt laws have a proven track record of increasing use rate

·        In 2004, seat belt use was 80% in primary law states 

·        Massachusetts has a 63% compliance rate with its “secondary law”

·        “Our low safety belt use rate was a major factor in the 433 fatalities and 91,000 injuries and $6.3 billion costs associated with motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts in 2000.” (Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau)

·        In 1999, Massachusetts car owners covered the bill for an estimated 149,686 injury claims; an estimated loss of $ 910,486,396. (Auto Insurance Bureau).

·        Less than 1% of all crash-related pediatric spinal cord injury patients are belted at the time of the crash. (The Shepard Center)

·        Seat belts are 57% effective in preventing traumatic and fatal brain injuries. (Brain Injury Association of America) 

·        Studies have shown that “the incidence of any head injury among restrained drivers … was only 2.76%”

A Primary Seat Belt Law provides a budget neutral means of directly reducing health care expenditures by preventing and reducing unbelted motor vehicle crash disabling injuries, like traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.  These injuries commonly result in immediate Medicaid eligibility for people who will incur substantial health care expenditures to address chronic health problems experienced and to provide rehabilitative services, personal care attendants or long-term care placement in skilled nursing facilities over the course of their lifetime.

What Civil Libertarians say, but forget to point out: “A Primary seat belt law is a stab to the heart of freedom…It’s my own choice whether or not to wear a seat belt and it’s of no consequence to anyone else.” Facts: The financial consequences of this individual decision are borne by all of us. Nationwide, NHTSA found that the average inpatient costs for crash victims who were not wearing safety belts were 55% higher than for those who were belted. The following are Massachusetts’ specific data from reproducible, reliable sources:

What Additional Benefits are There?

Sign up as a member of the SAFE Coalition Now

“Seatbelts Are For Everyone”

About Signing the Member Form and Joining the SAFE Coalition

Thank you for joining us in this important effort…to save lives by increasing seatbelt enforcement and usage.  Here is some information you may need.

1. Signing the form simply confirms that you may be listed publicly on lists of people, businesses and organizations who support a primary seatbelt law in Massachusetts.  This is the only position and the only issue with which your name will be associated.
   

2. Lists of members may be used in association with materials such as fact sheets, brochures, letterheads, testimony and possibly in advertisement about the initiative.  All statements in such materials will be based on verifiable facts and information.
   

3. All lists of members will note titles and affiliations for identification purposes only.
   

4. Signing the members form does not obligate you to contribute time or money, or attend any meetings or make any public statements.  Members are welcome to become more actively involved in SAFE coalition activities.   Any further involvement beyond being listed as a member of the SAFE Coalition is entirely voluntary.

Click form button to sign up:

Click below to:

Print out a form letter to your Representative.
Print out Coalition Members.
Print out Fact Sheet Data.
Print out Pediatric Data.
Print out Members Form.
Print Out Ejections.
Print out data from other states:

For an appointment to discuss your government relations needs, contact either Gloria Craven or Stacey A. Ober at:

 Policy Strategists, LLC 
11 Beacon Street, Suite 1120
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

(617) 523-6501  FAX: (617) 720-6012
You May E-Mail Us:
gcraven@policystrategists.com     sober@policystrategists.com