St. Louis Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz recently wrote:  I can't impress upon Missouri motorists how important it is to wear your safety belt every time you set foot into a vehicle.  Studies are conclusive that most fatalities that result from automobile collisions and trucking accidents are caused by an occupants failure to wear a seat belt.  The numbers are staggering.  The Missouri Department of Transportation recently stated that personal injuries sustained in automobile and truck crashes are 72% more severe when the driver/occupants don't buckle up.  Persons inside the car are tossed around like rag-dolls when a collision occurs and safety belts are not in use.

As of right now, Missouri law does not permit police officers to pull a motorist over solely for not using a seat belt.  However, officers can issue a seat belt citation if and when a motorist is pulled over for another reason, such as speeding.  Currently there are 24 states that allow for police officers to pull a motorist over for the sole purpose of writing a ticket for failing to use their seat belt.  Missouri legislators are considering a proposal to adopt this type of "primary enforcement", which would alter our current law.  Although I traditionally am not an advocate for increased police powers, I do feel this proposal should become law.  I say this primarily because of the tragedy that walks through the door of my Missouri personal injury law firm on a regular basis. 

Failure to buckle up can cost you more than a fine...it can cost you the ultimate price.  Don't be another statistic.  I have consoled numerous parents and relatives who lost a loved one in a catastrophic automobile crash or tractor-trailer collision, and the victim may have lived if he/she would have simply fastened a seat belt.  Visit my personal injury victim website for other helpful hints on preventing serious injury, or email me directly with your thoughts on this serious subject.