Officer deaths point out irony of seatbelt use

Seat belts have been required in cars for nearly 50 years, their use has been mandatory for more than 20 and statistics confirm their value.

In Nebraska, for instance, while seat belt use climbed from 31 percent in 1991 to 85 percent in 2009, the death rate per 100 million miles traveled has dropped from 1.95 to 1.10.

In our state, "drivers and front-seat passengers must use occupant protection systems worn properly adjusted and fastened."

It's a secondary law, meaning you can only be cited for this violation after being stopped for some other violation, but it adds $25 to the tally.

There are exceptions: people who have a note from their doctor are unable to wear a seatbelt because of a medical condition, a rural letter carrier performing his or her duties or a member of an emergency medical service involved in patient care.

Ironically, some of the people who best know the value of seatbelts are failing to use them.

If Nebraska law enforcement officers are like those all across the country, a surprising number of them aren't wearing their seatbelts.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least 64 officers died in car crashes between 2004 and 2008 while they were not wearing seatbelts, the Houston Chronicle reported, about 40 percent of officers killed in wrecks during that time.

In Texas, five of 13 officers killed statewide since 2007 were unbuckled.

Not much research has been done on police officers using seatbelts, but a medical journal did a study of the syndicated COPS television series and found officers buckling up less than 40 percent of the time. A 2005 study in the Journal of Trauma found about 20 percent of officers who died in crashes between 1997 and 2001 weren't wearing seat belts.

It's not hard to understand why some officers don't buckle up. A belt could get tangled up on a holster or flashlight, or prevent the officer from dealing with a violent prisoner. Buckling up is an easy step to skip on the way to a hot pursuit that might end in a foot chase.

But the statistics bear out the wisdom of strapping in.

What's the solution? Technology?

The ignition interlock system America tried in the early 1970s was about as popular as a toothache, as were those shoulder belts that automatically wrap themselves around passengers when the door is closed.

But there are other possibilities, such as a belt that would automatically release each time a cruiser is put in park. Or, perhaps some sort of passive restraint system that doesn't involve belts at all might be on the horizon.

Until then, we urge all of us, law enforcement officers and civilians alike, to take the time to buckle up, each and every time we drive.