Virginia is One of Seven States to Receive a Failing Grade for Highway Safety Laws

Each year, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety organization grades each state on the quality and effectiveness of their driver laws and regulations. The criteria that is used to calculate each state’s grade consists of multiple factors such as adult occupant protection, child passenger safety, teen driving, driving impairment and distracted driving laws.

In the “2011 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws” report, issued by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety organization, the Commonwealth of Virginia received a failing grade for falling dangerously behind in the adoption of the Advocates’ recommended safety laws. Among the recommended laws that Virginia currently lacks are a primary offense seat belt law, a minimum age law of 16 for learner’s permits, stricter cell phone restrictions, ignition interlock laws for all DUI/DWI offenders, an open container law, mandatory blood alcohol content (BAC) tests and a universal text messaging restriction for all drivers.

In response to the 757 car-related fatalities that occurred in Virginia in 2009, Delegate William K. Barlow introduced House Bill 2136 which would have made the failure to wear a safety belt a primary offense in Virginia. Under the current law, failing to wear a seat belt is a secondary offense, which means that you may be cited for failing to wear one if you are pulled over for a separate primary offense such as speeding. Under the proposed bill, the Virginia police could pull over and cite drivers for failing to wear a safety belt regardless of whether they committed an additional primary offense. House Bill 2136 was voted down on January 20, 2011.