Getting Americans to buckle up.

• Position: TRENDS AND TRANSITIONS - Brief article

Buckling up is the quickest and least expensive way to reduce death and injuries on the nation's highways. Primary seat belt laws allow police to stop and ticket a motorist if the driver and passengers are not buckled up. "Non-conforming" primary laws allow exceptions for some vehicles, such as pick-up trucks. Twenty-seven states have primary laws, although Georgia's law, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is nonconforming.

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Secondary seat belt laws allow police to issue a citation only if the driver is first stopped for another infraction. Twenty-two states have secondary laws. New Hampshire has no adult seat belt law.

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