Bill would let Ohio authorities arrest drivers who are not wearing SE

Bill would let Ohio authorities stop drivers who aren’t wearing seat belts

An Ohio lawmaker wants to give police the power to pull you over if they see you’re not wearing a seat belt.

State Rep. Jon Cross has introduced a bill that would allow motorists to be stopped without other reason for not wearing their seat belts.

Currently, an officer still needs a reason before pulling over someone who isn’t wearing a seat belt. If the new bill is passed, not wearing your seat belt will be considered a primary violation.

Governor Mike DeWine showed support for the change in his State of the State address last month. Although DeWine is pushing for the change, some state lawmakers believe making the change is not what is best for Ohio.

“I think this is an attempt to regulate personal responsibility. I would rather see us invest in educational resources that promote seat belt use,” said Ohio State Representative Lauren McNally.

Ohio Senator Mike Rulli said as of now he opposes the bill because the change would just give officers a reason to pull over a motorist.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, District Four had 1,242 unbelted fatalities and serious injuries from 2018 to 2023.

Sergeant Bridget Matt of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said wearing a seat belt could help lower those numbers.

“There is still a lot of room for improvement. Until we reach 100%, we will not see a reduction in fatalities from accidents and unbelted drivers,” said Matt.