In a bid to bolster road safety and curb fatalities, Ohio lawmakers are pushing for stricter seatbelt enforcement, a move that could see not buckling up become a primary offense.
Representative Jon Cross is spearheading the initiative
"We are lagging behind across the country when it comes to fatalities and people dying because of not wearing their seatbelt," Cross said.
The proposed bill, introduced on Wednesday, aims to elevate the status of seatbelt violations from secondary to primary offenses.
This means that law enforcement would have the authority to pull over drivers solely for not wearing their seatbelts rather than requiring another violation, such as speeding, to initiate a traffic stop.
The motivation behind this legislative push is clear: Ohio ranks poorly in seatbelt usage, with only about 81 percent compliance as of 2022, making it the 10th lowest in the nation.
Cuyahoga County has a dismal seatbelt usage rate, where fewer than three out of five individuals are observed wearing them.
"I don't know what's in the water here in Ohio that we've been lagging behind," Cross said.
"I think we need to do it now because listen, we have a lot of young people that are influenced by [phones] and [that] is also a dangerous tool when you're driving."
However, the proposed legislation is not without its detractors.
Some argue that seatbelt usage should remain a personal choice.
Andy Wilson, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, refuted this notion, stating, "That's based on the mistaken assumption that a crash or you not wearing your seatbelt and dying in a crash only hurts you and that pain and that suffering and that loss goes way beyond just an individual choice to wear a seatbelt."
The implementation of the new law, if passed, is expected to be gradual, starting with warnings before full enforcement. As of now, the bill lacks a co-sponsor, suggesting that negotiations may lie ahead before it can be enacted into law.
