Georgia is eligible for a $20,698,353 grant if it strengthens its seat belt law to allow law enforcement officers to stop and issue citations to pick-up trucks occupants
based solely on a seat belt violation – referred to as a primary law.
Georgia does have a primary seat belt law, but it only covers cars and SUVs. For pick-up trucks, officers must witness a violation of another traffic law before stopping someone for not buckling up.
According to the most recent observational survey, Georgia's seat belt use stood at 86.7 percent in 2004. However, belt use among pick up truck drivers was significantly lower at 75.4 percent.
Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have passed primary enforcement laws. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belt use averages eleven percentage-points higher in states that have primary enforcement laws that cover all vehicle types. Primary laws cover more than 60 percent of the U.S. population.