WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has supported activities and programs to increase safety belt usage and child passenger safety; and

WHEREAS, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that increasing safety belt use to 75 percent will save the nation an additional $3.6 billion in associated economic costs and save nearly 1700 lives each year; and

WHEREAS, research has found that lap/shoulder safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury to front seat Passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent; and

WHEREAS, states which change from secondary to primary enforcement belt use laws experience an almost immediate 10-15 percentage point increase in belt use without the utilization of additional enforcement resources; and

WHEREAS, officer attitude surveys indicate that officers prefer primary laws and see secondary law as a major deterrent to issuing a citation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), duly assembled at its 103rd annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona, endorses state primary safety belt use laws, and encourages its members to participate in activities associated with passing a primary law; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP encourages all law enforcement agencies to increase public awareness of the non-use of occupant protection devices and enforcement of safety belt use laws; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP join with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the General Accounting Office, and other national and international safety groups in encouraging the passage of state primary safety belt use laws and in achieving increased safety belt use; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent to the 50 Governors and the Governor’s Representatives for Highway Safety and other appropriate national agencies and organizations.