Presidential Initiative for Increasing Seat Belt Use Nationwide -- Everyone Can Participate

Everyone Can Participate

Everyone in America can participate in this national effort to save lives and prevent injuries by buckling up properly on every trip. While it is ultimately the responsibility of the individual to buckle up and to ensure that all children in a motor vehicle are properly restrained, there is also a role for many groups and organizations, both public and private, to provide the tools that will help get non-users and part-time users into the healthy habit. The following lists examples of participants and the kinds of roles they can adopt:

President: As the nation's Chief Executive, the President can provide overall leadership for seat belt use and bring together leaders of the public and private sectors, media, national organizations, and others to concentrate their energy and resources toward a single goal and mission. The President can urge Congress to support and fund policies to advance seat belt use, energize new partners, and re-energize existing partners by setting the tone and supporting a national effort.

Congress: The Senate and House of Representatives can provide funding and establish programs that encourage states to adopt legislation and to educate the public on the importance of proper seat belt and child safety seat use.

DOT Secretary: The Secretary of Transportation can provide vision and administer overall seat belt and child safety seat programs; dedicate staff for program development, implementation, and evaluation; provide funding to states (under the Highway Safety Act of 1966, as amended, 23 U.S.C. 壯 402 and 403); promote public/private partnerships; and provide leadership to other Federal agencies.

Federal Agencies: Federal agencies can promote seat belt use with their employees and constituents.

States: States can build partnerships and develop strategies to pass and visibly enforce primary (standard) seat belt enforcement laws and comprehensive child passenger safety laws. States can support and coordinate effective seat belt and child safety seat public education.

National Organizations and Coalitions: Groups such as Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Air Bag Safety Campaign, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Coalition for Traffic Safety, International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Association of Governors' Highway Safety Representatives, National Governors' Association, Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Parent Teacher Association, and others can provide valuable technical assistance and resources. They can build constituent efforts and partnerships, advocate strengthened laws and increased enforcement, and provide education at the state and local level.

Law Enforcement: The strong support of law enforcement agencies nationwide is essential for success. Law enforcement leadership must encourage and be supportive of officers enforcing occupant protection laws. The public must be supportive of law enforcement officers.

Business: Many businesses already have made major contributions toward increasing seat belt use — from local businesses to major international corporations. As a group, business is respected by Congress, state legislatures, community governments, and private citizens, and wields influence in determining legislative, economic, and commercial priorities. Business can promote the "healthy habit" through a wide variety of strategies and is an essential partner in collective efforts.

Media: The media and other public and private communication outlets have made the public aware of the dangers of not being properly restrained and can assist in changing behaviors. Recently, the media have reported heavily upon the several dozen persons killed by air bags to educate the public about the potential dangers of these devices. The media can do the same in other areas to highlight the thousands of persons killed each year through failure to use seat belts and child safety seats, or to use them properly. The media can also help publicize state and local law enforcement efforts.

Sports Organizations and Athletes: Athletes from professional, college, school, and neighborhood sports teams can serve as role models and set examples by being seat belt wearers. Sports teams can promote seat belt use through a variety of venues, such as special activities, media events, arena programs, signs, and announcements.

Health Care Professionals: Doctors, nurses, and other medical, emergency, and health care professionals add their unique perspective to the problem. They can use their experience, knowledge, and professional reputations to educate Congress, state legislators, the media, patients, and the general public about the dangers of not buckling up and not using child restraints properly.

Prosecutors and Judges: The judicial system is an integral part of increasing seat belt and child safety seat use. The court system must support law enforcement officers who cite individuals for noncompliance of belt laws or who put their children at risk by not properly restraining them. As officers of the court, prosecutors and judges can send a firm message to the public that seat belt and child restraint laws are important.

Educators: Youth are both the problem, with very low seat belt use rates, and the solution. Proper seat belt use habits, if established when individuals are young, will likely last a lifetime. Educators can be effective in teaching and reinforcing seat belt use habits.