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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Fifteen West Virginians would not be killed each year if the state had a stricter seat-belt law, some state lawmakers and transportation officials say.

Members of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday approved a bill (SB336) that would make operating a vehicle with anyone in it not wearing a seat belt a primary offense carrying a $15 fine.

West Virginia now has a secondary seat-belt law - meaning officers can only cite someone for violating the law only if they pull a driver over for something else, such as speeding.

Some legislators have been trying to change the law since the early 1990s, said Steve Dale, deputy commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles. About five years ago, the House of Delegates passed the proposal.

Otherwise, the issue hasn't gained much political traction.

"The primary reason is some citizens feel it's an issue of personal freedom, that it's their own choice," Dale said. "There are individuals that just don't like wearing seat belts."

About 89 percent of West Virginians now wear seat belts, Sen. Corey Palumbo, the bill's sponsor, told the committee Tuesday. A primary seat-belt law would likely increase that to 93 percent.

"The estimate is, we would save 15 lives a year by doing that," said Palumbo, D-Kanawha.

The law also would annually prevent about 160 serious injuries and $33 million in injury-related costs, Palumbo said.

If West Virginia had a primary seat-belt law, it also could receive about $1 million a year in federal highway safety funds, Palumbo said. The money could be used for public-relations campaigns to educate people about seat belt use.

"We have missed out over the years on a great deal of money that's available from the federal government," said DMV spokeswoman Natalie Harvey.

Twenty-seven other states have primary seat-belt laws, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, a national organization that represents highway safety offices.

Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.

For more political news, click here.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Fifteen West Virginians would not be killed each year if the state had a stricter seat-belt law, some state lawmakers and transportation officials say.

Members of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Tuesday approved a bill (SB336) that would make operating a vehicle with anyone in it not wearing a seat belt a primary offense carrying a $15 fine.

West Virginia now has a secondary seat-belt law - meaning officers can only cite someone for violating the law only if they pull a driver over for something else, such as speeding.

Some legislators have been trying to change the law since the early 1990s, said Steve Dale, deputy commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles. About five years ago, the House of Delegates passed the proposal.

Otherwise, the issue hasn't gained much political traction.

"The primary reason is some citizens feel it's an issue of personal freedom, that it's their own choice," Dale said. "There are individuals that just don't like wearing seat belts."

About 89 percent of West Virginians now wear seat belts, Sen. Corey Palumbo, the bill's sponsor, told the committee Tuesday. A primary seat-belt law would likely increase that to 93 percent.

"The estimate is, we would save 15 lives a year by doing that," said Palumbo, D-Kanawha.

The law also would annually prevent about 160 serious injuries and $33 million in injury-related costs, Palumbo said.

If West Virginia had a primary seat-belt law, it also could receive about $1 million a year in federal highway safety funds, Palumbo said. The money could be used for public-relations campaigns to educate people about seat belt use.

"We have missed out over the years on a great deal of money that's available from the federal government," said DMV spokeswoman Natalie Harvey.

Twenty-seven other states have primary seat-belt laws, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, a national organization that represents highway safety offices.

Reach Alison Knezevich at alis...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.