More Back-Seat Riders Will Wear Belts

By Amelia Reddington Thursday, March 04, 2010

RICHMOND – The House has joined the Senate in passing a bill that will require a motor vehicle’s back-seat passengers who are under 18 to wear seat belts. Currently, Virginia’s seat-belt law applies to passengers only under 16.

The House voted 81-17 on Tuesday in favor of Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Reston. Delegates Robin Abbott and William Barlow voted for the bill; Del. Brenda Pogge voted against it.

The Senate had previously approved the bill, 39-1, with Sen. Stephen Martin, R-Chesterfield, dissenting.

The House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee voted 19-1 last week to recommend that delegates adopt the bill.

Also last week, the same committee put a red light on a bill to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense in Virginia.

The panel tabled Senate Bill 9, sponsored by Sen. Harry B. Blevins, R-Chesapeake. This measure, which previously cleared the Senate, 24-16, would have made failure to wear a seat belt a primary offense instead of a secondary.

As a result, police may cite drivers for a seat-belt violation only if they are committing another offense, such as speeding or running a red light.

A subcommittee of the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee voted 3-1 last week to table Blevins’ bill. Republican Delegates Clay Athey of Front Royal, William Cleaveland of Roanoke and Ben Cline of Amherst voted in favor of killing SB 9; Democratic Delegate James Shuler of Blacksburg voted against tabling it.

On an unrecorded voice vote in January, the subcommittee killed a similar proposal, House Bill 901, sponsored by Delegate William K. Barlow, D-Smithfield.