Nebraska Legislator Pushes for Change in Seat Belt Law

A Nebraska state senator wants to change the state’s seat belt law.

Sen. John Harms of Scottsbluff wants to make the law a primary violation, which means a driver could be pulled over for not buckling up.

Under current law, a driver has to be pulled over for another violation before he or she can be cited.

Harms says changing the law is a good idea because it saves lives. He says that in January he’ll probably introduce a bill to make the change.

Nebraska could get $7.4 million in federal highway funding if it were to upgrade its seat belt law by Sept. 30, 2009.

Romell Cooks of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that if Nebraska doesn’t change its law by then, the money goes away.