Georgia's Senate Finally Passes Bill Requiring Seat Belts in Pickup Trucks
After years of debate, the Georgia Senate finally approved legislation requiring the use of seat belts for people in pickup trucks.
Until now, the Peach State only required passengers in the front seats of cars, vans and SUVs to buckle up. The hold-up on the measure came from Georgia's rural legislators, who argue that wearing a seat belt is an inconvenience for farmers and farm workers who frequently hop in and out of their pickups as they tend the fields. They also say there is too little traffic on Georgia's backcountry farm roads to worry about the risk of colliding with another vehicle.
The new bill, which the Senate approved on a 45-2 vote, exempts off-road vehicles and pickups used for farming.
According to the Georgia Senate, more than two-thirds of pickup truck-related deaths resulted from passengers not wearing a seat belt in an accident. Requiring seat-belt use is expected to save $25 million in Medicaid costs over a 10-year period. Georgia also would become eligible for federal highway funding assistance that is being withheld until the seat-belt gap is closed.
Georgia and New Hampshire (which doesn't have any laws requiring adults to buckle up) are the only states that don't require passengers to wear seat belts in pickups.
Comments
Wrong.
NH has no seatbelt law or helmet law for anyone of legal age.
@paul: Thanks so much for your correction. The story has been updated.
Welcome to the 21st century Georgia....seat belts save lives and prevent injury. Period.
One would think that it is life-saving to wear seatbelt in ANY car.
Yet another govt instrusion into our lives.
As a resident here in GA, I personally don't think its a big deal.(Everyone has their own opinion). I have always used my seat belt while driving my truck or any of my other vehicles. I look at it as my personal responsibility. The GA senate have changed this law many different times throughout the years. I just wish GA's lawmakers will make up his and her mind. Frankly its getting a little crazy.
How do you legislate stupidity? Considering the costs of healthcare, laws requiring the use of safety devices is a good idea.
The only time one should get an exemption is if a person could find private insurance that would cover injuries sustained because of the lack of personal protective equipment. Good luck on that one!
What kind of dumb f--ker doesnt whear a seat belt, ESPECIALLY in a truck!!
How many stories of people being thrown out of their truck during a crash AND having the truck roll over them crushing them do people need to hear!!!??
If you have any kind of common sense and will to live you wear a seatbelt in any car or truck.
Congratulations on passing SB 458 today. Vote of 45-2. Finally Georgia adult drivers and passengers of pickup trucks will be included in a state law requiring seat belts to be worn in pickup trucks. Seat belts are true life savers and save lives and ultimately the state money. Finally a law that helps set examples that we hope our children and teenagers will follow in teaching them to buckle up every time! in every vehicle!
u cant belittle some1 because they dont want 2 wear a seatbelt. U acn call it common sense, but is a motocyclist life any less important... Most cops dont wear seatbelts here in FL cause they get in out so much.. Bc there cops does in their dexterity is better than civilians.. U know some people arernt 2 be saved or plain have faith in what every is that truly secures them.... imo
Everyone should always wear a seatbelt !!
If you are too stupid to do so,dont complain when you go through the front or the back window and get crippled or dead !! it happens people,I dont like when the government steps in our lives,but sometimes they have to because people are just way too stupid !!!
The Gov't has to protect the stupid.
Lawyers defend them.
People don't check their tire pressures-Bam, TPMS.
People don't look at brake lights-Bam, Center high mounted stop lamps.
etc, etc,....
@home skillet - you can add:
..Hitting the brakes to put an automatic in gear
..Pushing in the clutch to start a standard tranny vehicle
..ABS
..stability control
..traction control
..airbags
..self cancelling signals
..idiot lights
..doors that don't lock if the keys are in the ignition switch
..trailer sway control
Here is another one -
pickups without manual transmissions!
@Lou,
Nice posts. They have me laughing.
This is why I like my 1994 Ford F-250. It has all of the features you mentioned. They are all located in the left front seat.
The other one you missed was lane detection. (The truck is equipped with this as well.)
LOL at manual tramsimissions. I guess a person could buy a Dodge... Sad to see them going. That is all I drove growing up.
2 Rob - I am to please;)
looks like I need IT to get me a new keyboard:)
I meant:
@Rob - I aim to please;)
As a mother who has lost a child in an auto accident, I am so thankful to have this bill pass. He was thrown out of the back glass of his truck. I would tell him each time he would leave the house "Don't forget your seatbelt!" and his response would be "You aren't required to wear a belt in a truck!" At the age of 20, YES he should have known better, but I believe if it had been required by law, he would have been more likely to buckle up, which he did do in his car. Would he have survived the impact? We will never know.
Thank you!
@Tawn - my condolences. Thanks for sharing. It's easy for people to overlook the pain behind the headlines.
Awesome article! Paints nice pictures – I think I will come here next time, it is really good!
Why is no one concerned about kids in school buses not buckled up with drivers parents don't even know.
Man I guess I need to move to those states where you can drive a motorcycle with no helmet. Since US Georgia people are not living in the 21st century. I dont wear a seat belt because I chose to live in a rural area, drive the speed limit, own a truck, and work 15 min from home. Passing this law is not going to save a life its going to increase the budget of fat pocket government officials who dont have a clue what they are doing. Well want be long the company I work for will be closing due to LACK of business so I will have NO NEED to drive anywhere... But lets concentrate on SEAT BELT LAWS...
I can't wait to vote against all the politicians who passed this law & I don"t even own a pickup truck. Its not about safety,its about generating revenue. If safety is such a concern why aren't children required to wear seatbelts on schoolbuses ? Lets remember to show these intruders what is best for them at election time.
First of all, this is just to generate more money for the government to waste.
As for saving lives, they don't consider the people who survived wrecks and crashes simply because they were not wearing seat belts.
My neighbor's son and 2 of his friends wrecked and rolled 5 or 6 times. One was thrown in the floor board. The driver was in the ditch from the first roll. The other in the backseat went out the back window and their back was hurt. If they had been buckled up they would all be dead.
Two of them walked away from it. One did have a hospital stay and surgery. That's not the first and only I know of.
Just the only one where the trooper was expecting to find body's in the crushed cab, not up and walking around.
I think it should be my choice, I am almost 40 years old and
done pretty good so far. If you want to do some real good then do the things to prevent the accident from happening in the first place, pay attention and stay off the phone.
I believe it should still be Our choice and not the Government's of whether I wear a seatbelt or not.
I really don't know how we survived all these years without the government's intervention. We need lass Government and more choice.
But hey all of you sheep being led by the nose it will soon be The United Socialist States of America.The new USSA.
Be proud of your ability to say whatever the Gov, Wants We stand behind it.
I am not saying seatbelts don't save lives I am saying,it should still be our choice and not theres.
Cigarettes take more lives than the lack of wearing seatbelts.
Newer vehicles are designed with "room to live". You have a much greater chance of surviving an MVC if you are belted and remain inside.
A 30 MPH collision can kill you quite easily without a seatbelt. I've seen several deaths at that speed. I've seen quadriplegia at that speed as well.
I've heard stories of people surviving because they were ejected from a vehicle - guess what? blind luck.
You can chose not to wear a seatbelt - it gives the police search dogs something to do ie. locating your severed body parts.
I worked as a paramedic for 23 years. I've only seen one person survive an ejection - if you call her current existence a "life".
Freedom of choice?
I love that one.
We confuse luck for skill and knowledge.
It is unfortunate that governments have to leglislate against stupidity!
One in six Americans do not have health care coverage.
Don't play Russian Roulette with a loaded gun or a vehicle.
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