Beginning on Wednesday, April 20, the push will be on to have minority drivers in Florida wear their seat belts and buckle up their children. The Florida Minority Occupant Protection Task Force is leading the campaign and plans to hold meeting with African-American and Hispanic community leaders at churches, schools, and even barbershops to encourage more seat belt use. National safety figures show the minority groups are not using seat belts as often as other drivers. In Central Florida, The Orlando Sentinel reports that law enforcement is seeing a disproportionate number of minority drivers unbuckled and a higher number of injuries and fatalities among minority passengers and drivers. Among them:
- A Hispanic man died last Friday when his pickup struck a tree in Osceola County. He was not wearing a seat belt.
- Three African-American children died the same day when their SUV rolled over ejecting them through the windows.
- Five Hispanic children from Kissimmee suffered serious injuries April 3 when their SUV rolled in Osceola County.
Research shows that a lap/shoulder belt can reduce the risk of a fatal injury by 45 percent for the front seat occupants and a critical injury is reduced by 50 percent. According to state data, seat belt use is 80 percent effective in reducing fatalities in an SUV rollover accident in Florida.
Enforcement will take place in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties, with law enforcement observing seat belt use with special emphasis on African-Americans and Hispanics.
Passed in 2009, Florida’s primary seat belt law states law enforcement can pull over any driver and ticket them if no one in the front is wearing a seat belt. Everyone under the age of 18 who sits in the back must wear a seat belt under Florida law, which exempts those over the age of 18. The ticket is $30 for an adult violator, and $60 for a child not buckled in. Soon after the law was enacted, Florida topped the national average with 85.2 percent of the population wearing a seat belt.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, you will need the expertise and help of a Florida car accident lawyer who can conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash. Farah & Farah can help you through this difficult time in your life and make sure that the responsible party compensates you for your injury and lost wages. Call us in Jacksonville at 904-396-5555.
