National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites Illinois as top in Midwest for safety belt zones    

Primary seat belt law signed by Gov. Blagojevich has led to increased seat belt use, 100 fewer traffic deaths a year

Nearly 4,600 safety belt zones in 2005; goal is 6,000 in 2006

[APRIL 19, 2006]  SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety has been singled out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from other Midwestern states for efforts to increase safety belt usage. The NHTSA recently awarded the Department of Transportation with a specially engraved Louisville Slugger baseball bat for stepping up to the plate on safety belt enforcement efforts.

Illinois' primary safety belt enforcement law, signed by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich in July 2003, is a key reason for reduced fatalities and increased safety belt use. Prior to becoming a primary enforcement state, Illinois safety belt usage was at 76 percent, but now, two years later, the rate has climbed to 86 percent.

In the two years since Blagojevich made Illinois a primary safety belt enforcement state, traffic fatalities have been at their lowest in more than 60 years. Traffic fatalities dropped from 1,454 in 2003 to 1,355 in both 2004 and 2005. The previous low was 1,328 in 1943.

"When you know 100 more people are alive today because of the changes we're making in traffic safety, you know you're making a difference, and that's what government's about," Blagojevich said.

"Legislation we worked to pass three years ago, allowing law enforcement officials to stop drivers for not wearing their seat belts, resulted in a dramatic increase in compliance of the law," said state Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, chief sponsor of the primary seat belt law.

The Department of Transportation was awarded the specially engraved Louisville Slugger at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recent law enforcement conference for the Great Lakes Region. The engraving, "Hitting it Hard with 4,590 safety belt zones," is in recognition of the specific enforcement zones where the Illinois Department of Transportation teams up with local and state police to focus on safety belt violations.

The 4,590 safety belt zones by the Illinois Department of Transportation in 2005 were more than ever done by any other state in the Great Lakes Region. The goal for 2006 is to have more than 6,000 safety belt zones in Illinois.

"We are pleased with IDOT's efforts to use safety belt zones and stepped-up enforcement to increase compliance," said Donald McNamara, regional administrator for NHTSA. "Safety belt zones are an important part of increasing usage and saving lives. It's important that Illinois' law enforcement and traffic safety communities continue to support these stepped-up efforts."

"We know less than 15 percent of drivers and passengers choose not to wear their safety belts, and yet they make up more than half of the vehicle occupants killed in crashes on Illinois highways every year," said Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Timothy Martin. "Buckling up saves lives -- it's as simple as that -- and IDOT is committed to getting everyone in Illinois to 'Click It or Ticket.'"

[News release from the governor's office]