Primary seat belt law legislation: Incentive funding deadline is approaching

If Arkansas is to take advantage of federal "SAFETEA LU" funds that are only available to states that pass a primary seat belt law, it must be done in the upcoming legislative session. The deadline to pass a conforming law to access §406 funds is June 30, 2009. The funds do have strings attached: some must be obligated for "Chapter 4" highway safety activities, and the rest can be used by for any "behavioral safety purpose," or for any project that corrects or improves a hazardous roadway location or proactively addresses highway safety problems.

Legislation was filed in 2007 to make the Arkansas seat belt law a primary offense, but it failed in a House committee after passing the Senate. 21 states have primary seat belt laws, while 28 states' seat belt laws are secondary (can't be used as the sole reason for a stop). New Hampshire (live free or die) has no adult seat belt law.