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National

Background

Taking Responsibility

The National Goals

The National Strategy


The Four Point Plan


Specific Activities to Implement the National Strategy

Reporting and Recognition

Funding

Executive Order

States

States can take direct action to protect their citizens and reduce the costs of injuries to unrestrained occupants. States should:

  • Meet or exceed the National Goals of 85% seat belt use by the year 2000 and 90% by 2005

  • Ensure strong support and participation from state leadership

  • Build public-private partnerships to develop and execute statewide strategies

  • Adopt primary (standard) seat belt enforcement laws and comprehensive child passenger safety laws to ensure coverage of all children up to age 16

  • Support active, highly visible occupant protection law enforcement efforts

  • Assess meaningful penalties for seat belt and child safety seat violations

  • Provide resources for enforcement of seat belt and child passenger safety laws

  • Support and coordinate public information and education programs

  • Establish motor vehicle crash, injury, and cost data bases to quantify problems and measure success

  • Ensure the availability of child safety seats for every child and provide technical support to ensure that children are properly positioned in correctly installed safety seats

Selected Activities:

  • Participate in the Air Bag Safety Campaign's Spring Mobilization and other national efforts (e.g., Buckle Up, America! and Child Passenger Safety Week)

  • Provide law enforcement training and technical assistance (e.g., peer-to-peer, Chief Challenges, recognitions)

  • Conduct annual seat belt use surveys to measure program success

  • Work with law enforcement organizations to include seat belt and child safety seat use and enforcement training as part of standardized law enforcement curricula

  • Sponsor prosecutor and judicial training to educate prosecutors and judges on the enforcement and adjudication issues regarding seat belt and child safety seat laws

  • Conduct educational activities with state and local elected officials and their state organizations

  • Encourage and assist in the development of Safe Community coalitions