Primary belt use laws exist in 32 states and the District of Columbia, meaning police may stop vehicles solely for belt law violations. In other jurisdictions that have seat belt use laws, police must have some other reason to stop a vehicle before citing an occupant for failing to buckle up. Enhanced penalties in existing Marine Corps Orders now allow for banning a seat belt violator from driving both private and government owned vehicles aboard any Marine Corps installation for a period of time.

Photo by Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control

Tougher Marine Corps penalties on seat belt violations

21 Mar 2012 | Keith Hayes, Public Affairs Specialist Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- The punishment has increased for not wearing a seat belt while driving aboard a Marine Corps installation under Marine Corps Traffic Safety Program Drivesafe Order 5100.19F.

The enhanced MCO signed by Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James F. Amos, Nov. 29, 2011, adds to the already existing burden of losing private automobile driving privileges aboard base for a period of time, said Brian Korves, safety officer, MCLB Barstow.

“The first violation (for driving without a seat belt) is a 30 day suspension of all base driving privileges to include privately owned vehicles and government owned vehicles, so if you drive for work you can’t drive for 30 days,” Korves said, “plus attendance of an improved remedial driver improvement course.”

For those drivers who still refuse to obey traffic laws by driving without a seat belt, Korves said the penalties increase.

“The second offense is loss of driving privileges aboard base for six months,” he said. “The third offense is one year without driving a POV or GOV on the base.”

That means an offending driver’s employment could be severely affected.

“If you’re a forklift operator you’re out of a job,” Korves said.

The harsher across the board policy is being implemented, Korves said, because many drivers still are not getting the message.

“The seat belt laws have been in place since the ‘80s and you still have people refusing to wear their seat belts, that’s one of the reasons I believe they’re making the punishment harsher,” he said.

The stiffer penalties will inspire most drivers to not take a chance by driving without one.

“If they make this painful for a person then a person is more likely to comply with the laws,” Korves said.

“Let’s look at it this way,” he continued. “You get caught not wearing your seat belt you get 30 days not driving. You get in to an accident not wearing your seat belt and you’re dead. Which one is harsher?”

The bottom line is simple, Korves said.

“Seat belts save lives. I believe that this increased penalty for not wearing your seat belt will make the base a safer place to drive,” he said.