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Resolution
Supporting a Primary Seat Belt
Law for States that Do Not Have Primary Seat
Belt Laws
WHEREAS, the League of United Latin
American Citizens is this nation’s oldest and
largest Latino organization, founded in Corpus
Christi, Texas on February 24, 1929.
WHEREAS, LULAC
throughout its history has committed itself to
the principle that Latin Americans have equal
access to opportunities in employment,
education, housing and healthcare; and
WHEREAS,
LULAC has supported the principles of equal
opportunities for economic development,
political influence, civil rights, and the
general welfare for all Latinos in the United
States; and
WHEREAS, motor
vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death
for Latinos ages 1-44; and
WHEREAS, motor
vehicle crashes are the leading killer of Latino
children between the ages of 0 and 14; and
WHEREAS, Latinos
are also less likely to wear a safety seat belt.
Nationally, in 1983 the seat belt use rate for
all Americans was 14 percent by 2000 it had
increased to 71 percent. But the last seat belt
use rate record for Latinos is 63 percent; and
WHEREAS,
although Latino male teenagers travel fewer
vehicle miles than their white counterparts,
they are nearly twice as likely to die in a
motor vehicle crash; and
WHEREAS, Anglo
Drivers log twice as many Vehicle Miles Traveled
(VMT) as that of their Minority counterparts,
however their minority counterpart accounts for
twice as many of the crashes, injuries, and
deaths; and
WHEREAS, if a
Primary Seat Belt Law was passed, for example,
in Arizona an estimated 78 lives per year would
be saved, an estimated 1,470 injuries would be
prevented, an estimated State budget savings
would be $5,232,800 and an estimated Federal
savings would be $1,462,300; and
WHEREAS, with
the passage of a Primary Seat Belt Law in states
that currently do not have one, it could qualify
the state for additional Federal funds. For
example, if Arizona implements a Primary Seat
Belt Law, the number of fatal and serious
injuries will decrease and an economic benefit
will result. NHTSA estimates that a fatality
results in an economic loss of about $1 million
and serious injury results in a $1.1 million
loss.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED that the 2004 National
Convention of the League of United Latin
American Citizens convened in San Antonio, Texas
on July 6-11, 2004 join forces with the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the
Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to
promote all states that do no have primary seat
belt laws to support passage of a primary seat
belt law and educate the Latino community in the
importance of using seat belts and car seats for
our children and ourselves.
Submitted by Mary Leonardi,
Council #1057, Arizona
Adopted this 10th day of July
2004.
Hector M. Flores
LULAC National President |
