African Americans Report Overwhelming Support for Primary Seat Belt Laws
15 October 1999
African Americans Report Overwhelming Support for Primary Seat Belt Laws Blacks in States With Primary Seat Belt Laws Report Higher Seat Belt Use And
Almost No Problems Stemming From the Law
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 -- African Americans who live in states
with a primary seat belt law, enforceable on the same basis as other traffic
laws, overwhelmingly favor the law -- by more than a 3-to-1 margin. Less than
one-half of one percent of African Americans report race-related harassment
problems as a result of their state's seat belt law. And, self reported belt
use in primary enforcement states is 17 percentage points higher than in
states with weaker secondary enforcement laws. Sponsors of the research said
they hope the results will help overcome concerns that the passage of primary
seat belt laws may contribute to increased harassment of African Americans.
A telephone survey of more than 1,100 African Americans was conducted
earlier this year as a joint project of the National Black Caucus of State
Legislators (NBCSL) and the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign. Silas Lee,
III, a leading African American researcher, coordinated the study which was
conducted by African American telephone interviewers.
"We talked with African Americans in states with both primary and
secondary laws and there was no indication that there was a greater problem
with harassment in states with primary seat belt laws," said State
Representative Bob Holmes (D-GA), Transportation Chairman of the NBCSL. "The
overwhelming support for strong belt laws by African Americans in primary belt
law states tells us that the law is working fine for them, and that they want
the benefits of fewer injuries and deaths." In 1995, Representative Holmes
sponsored a bill that upgraded Georgia's seat belt law to primary status.
Debate in recent years has centered around the extent to which primary
seat belt laws might contribute to harassment of African Americans in traffic
stops -- also known as "DWB" or "Driving While Black." Surgeon General David
Satcher has called low seat belt use among African Americans a major public
health issue. In addition, a recent study showed that African American
children are dying in crashes at three times the rate of other children.
Experience has demonstrated conclusively that the enactment and enforcement of
primary seat belt laws increases seat belt use and decreases injuries and
deaths.
A recent study by Meharry Medical College, a private, historically black
academic health center, recommended that more states pass primary seat belt
laws to save the lives of all Americans including African Americans. At the
same time, it called for additional research to learn more about the impact of
primary seat belt laws on African Americans. The survey released today
represents the first systematic attempt to gauge the experience of African
Americans living under primary seat belt laws. Among the findings:
* Nine percent of African Americans in primary states report experiencing
problems of any kind related to the seat belt law compared to 13 percent of
African Americans in secondary states. One percent report "a lot of problems,"
four percent report "some problems," and six percent report "a few problems."
* Less than one half of one percent reported race-related or harassment
problems. Other "problems" mentioned were being required to wear a seat belt
or being ticketed for not wearing a seat belt. The perception of racially
motivated traffic stops is equally small in both primary and secondary belt
law states.
"If primary seat belt laws contribute to racially motivated traffic stops
and harassment of African Americans, people in states with primary belt laws
should report more perceived problems and more racially motivated traffic
stops," said Silas Lee, III. "They do not. In fact, they report fewer
problems in primary seat belt enforcement states."
Currently 16 states and the District of Columbia have primary seat belt
laws, and belt use in those states runs about 10-15 percentage points higher
than in states with secondary laws. In every state that has strengthened its
seat belt use law from secondary to primary status African American
legislators have been sponsors or brought critical support to these efforts.
The Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign has been supporting the work of groups
in several states, including New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin, to upgrade laws
from secondary to primary.
"Public education alone does not motivate our young people to buckle up,"
said Assemblyman Herbert Conaway, M.D.(D-NJ). "Belt use among young black
males is significantly higher in primary states. This tells us that passing
primary belt laws is key to preventing the senseless loss of our young
people." Assemblyman Conaway is currently sponsoring a primary seat belt bill
in New Jersey.
"It is a credit to the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign and the
National Black Caucus of State Legislators that they expended the time and
effort to ask hard questions and get the answers," said State Senator Kendrick
Meek (D-FL). "These findings should help overcome concerns and build support
for primary belt laws in every state in the nation."
