COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine is pushing for a stricter seat belt law that would give police the power to pull people over and ticket them for not buckling up.
The governor wants a seat belt violation to be a primary reason to be pulled over rather than a secondary violation. Under current law, you can only a get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt if you get caught for another traffic violation, such as speeding. The fine is $30 for the driver and $20 for a passenger.
To make his case, the governor cited statistics from an Ohio Department of Public Safety Survey that showed seat belt use in Ohio in 2022 hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.
"Ohio is 10th from the bottom of all states in seat belt use," DeWine said. "While the national average for seat belt use is 91%, Ohio's number is only 81%."
According to the Department of Public Safety, 527 people who were killed in crashes in Ohio in 2022 were not wearing a seat belt. That number made up more than 60% of all traffic crash deaths in the state.
Republican Speaker of the House Jason Stephens (R - Kitts Hill) was asked about the governor's proposal.
"The issue becomes how much personal responsibility is required by individuals." Stephens said. "So that's probably how those would be received."
Senate President Matt Huffman (R - Lima) says part of his concern is personal freedom.
"Some of it also is the folks who tend to get those tickets, those folks who are stopped the most are people who are least able to pay the bill," Huffman said.
Travelers 10TV caught up with at an Interstate 71 rest stop in Delaware County expressed mixed feelings about the proposal. Husband and wife Jim and Sue Harwood of Chardon, Ohio have different opinions.
"Actually, I think that's perfectly okay for safety purposes," Sue Harwood said.
"I think maybe they're going a little too far on why they can pull you over," Jim Harwood said.
Teresa and Bruce Ayars of Pennsylvania took a break while driving through Ohio and weighed in.
"There's just so much else going on out there that I think they should be able to spend their time doing," Theresa Ayars said.
"It does give the police a small excuse to stop somebody that they might not otherwise legally be able to stop," Bruce Ayars said.
Sharon Bezoski of Geneva, Ohio thinks the proposal is over the top.
"I think it encourages the police to violate peoples' civil rights, is what I think," Bezoski said.
No matter what the law says, all those 10TV talked to at the rest stop said the best thing to do is buckle up.