ATLANTA – Despite evidence that shows seatbelts save lives, Georgia remains one of twenty-two states that do not require adults to buckle up in the backseat.
According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, seatbelts saved 14,688 lives nationwide in 2016, while 10,428 people who were not wearing seatbelts died in traffic related deaths that year.
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety encourages everyone inside of a car to wear their seatbelts.
But in Georgia, it's not required in the back seat if you’re over the age of 17.
Why?
“It’s just not been on our radar screen,” says Harris Blackwood, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. “We’re not apologizing for it. We believe down the road, it might be something we want to look at.”
It took years and pressure from the federal government for the legislature to pass a law requiring pickup truck drivers to strap in. That didn't happen until 2010.
Kevin Levitis was one of the legislators who helped bring about the change for pickup trucks. He says there is a resistance to further change, mostly in the rural parts of the state.
“There is an element of, ‘I don't want the government telling me what to do,’” says Levitis. “It’s always been a power struggle between the rural areas and the urban areas.”
There's also that false sense of security with backseat passengers according to Jeffrey Kaufman, an Atlanta attorney who has studied the issue. His law firm recently conducted a study that shows 23% of rideshare passengers in Georgia refuse to buckle in while riding in the backseat.
Kaufman has seen crash test video of what can happen to backseat passengers who aren’t belted in.
“The unrestrained hit the back of the seat, crush it, then hurt the driver from rear impact,” says Kaufman.
Still, there are people who say unless the law changes, they won’t belt in while in the back.
The Georgia Commute Options introduced 11Alive’s Why Guy to three people who carpool to Emory University. None of them wear seatbelts when it’s their turn to ride in the back.
“I know it’s a law to wear it in the front seat,” says Cindy Brock. “I never think about it in the backseat.”
“When I’m in other state’s where it’s required, I do wear my seatbelt in the back,” says Elizabeth Barrett.
Harris Blackwood says there’s been no public outcry to require adults to wear seatbelts in the backseat.
