2009 ROADMAP TO STATE HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS
2009 Roadmap
to State Highway Safety Laws
January 2009
Click the button below for the webcast of our press conference on January 12, 2009.
This report highlights gaps in Advocates' list of 15 essential and lifesaving highway safety laws and is a call to action for Governors and state legislators. In 2007, motor vehicle crashes caused over 41,000 deaths and over 2.5 million injuries and cost the nation over $230 billion. Passage of the 15 laws identified in Advocates' report will help prevent these tragedies and, at the same time, will save the states billions of dollars in economic costs associated with highway crashes.
In January 2004, Advocates published its first State Roadmap Report to provide guidance to each state on where it stood relative to the rest of the nation in implementing highway safety laws. This year, with few new laws to report, Advocates urges states to set an aggressive highway safety legislative agenda to stem the tide of deaths and injuries on our nation's roadways. More than any other action, public policy interventions change behavior and have immediate impact on improving outcomes. The laws recommended by Advocates save lives and save money.
Deaths from motor vehicle crashes changed very little this past year, and motor vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death for all Americans ages four to 34, killing 115 people every day. By any definition, this is truly a public health epidemic. If each highway safety law is considered a vaccine to inoculate our children, our friends, and our communities against a leading cause of death, every law listed in our Roadmap report should be at the top of each state's legislative agenda in 2009.
Occupant Protection
Seat Belts: No state adopted a primary enforcement seat belt law in 2008. 25 states still need this lifesaving law.
Motorcycle Helmets: Currently, 30 states do not require all-rider helmet law protection. In most of the 20 states and DC with the optimal law, anti-helmet groups battle each year to repeal the all-rider helmet requirement. There were 12 unsuccessful repeal attempts in 2008. No state adopted an all-rider motorcycle helmet law in 2008.
Booster Seats: Four states adopted booster seat laws (MD, MA, MI, UT). Out of 42 states and the District of Columbia (DC) with booster seat laws, only 21 states and DC have the recommended optimal booster seat law.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
Three states passed teen driving laws (CT, LA, MN, VA). Only one state, Delaware, has adopted all five of Advocates' optimal GDL provisions.
Impaired Driving
Three states passed ignition interlock device laws (AK, NE, WA). No state adopted any of the other 6 basic laws recommended by Advocates.
Please Read the Full Report to Find Out More About:
- Advocates' Grading Criteria
- Complete State Listing of Existing Highway Safety Laws
- Definitions of the 15 Lifesaving Laws
- In-depth State-by-State Highway Safety Information
- Emerging Trends in Highway Safety Legislation
Click here for the press kit from the press conference on January 12, 2009.
The 2008 Roadmap to Highway Safety Laws can be accessed by clicking here.
For more information on this report, please contact Jaime Lotter at jlotter@saferoads.org or (202) 408-1711.
