Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Iwuc and Watson
Date Introduced : May 25, 1999
WHEREAS, Crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to American children. Last year many children died or were injured in Rhode Island crashes. Many of the children who died were not completely restrained; and
WHEREAS, A recent survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 19 million more Americans buckled up in 1998. If these Americans continue to use their seat belts, an estimated 1,500 lives could be saved. In addition, a survey by the National Safety Council showed fatalities went down by more than 35 percent during last year's May Operation ABC Mobilization; and
WHEREAS, Studies consistently show that the best way to get children buckled up is to get adults buckled up. A recent study reported in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics found "driver restraint use was the strongest predictor of child restraint use....a restrained driver was three times more likely to restrain a child." And according to surveys by NHTSA, when a driver buckles up, children are buckled up 87 percent of the time. However, when a driver is unbuckled, child belt use drops to only 24 percent; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests that the Governor's Coalition on Highway Safety and the Rhode Island State Police recognize Operation ABC Mobilization: America Buckles Up Children and also respectfully requests that they enforce Rhode Island's child restraint laws and focus on zero tolerance for unbuckled passengers, particularly unbuckled children; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Lincoln C. Almond, Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Colonel Edmond S. Culhane, Jr., Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
