Senate Eyes Seat Belt Law

Jefferson City, Mo. – A bill in the Missouri Senate would raise the fine for driving without a seat belt from $10 to $50.

The bill is sponsored by Democratic Senator Joseph Keaveny of St. Louis. He says since Missouri does not have a primary enforcement law, raising the fine for not buckling up is the next best solution.

"At ten dollars, it's not much of a deterrent not to use a seat belt. If a person is charged 50 dollars for failure to use a seat belt, it get a little more attention," says Keaveny.

Missouri collected $204,000 in seat belt fines last year. Keaveny suggests the state could have collected more revenue if the fine for not buckling up had been $50. The Senate Transportation Committee is expected to vote on the bill this week.