Once again, Republican state Rep. Bill Oberle will try to make Delaware highways safer by making the failure to use seat belts a primary offense and lowering the acceptable blood-alcohol limit from .10 to .08. A third measure would require physicians to notify the Division of Motor Vehicles when a person is unable to drive a motor vehicle. The House of Representatives has passed these bills in the past, only to have the state Senate reject them or bottle them up. Seat belt use is already mandatory in Delaware, but violations are a secondary offense. A police officer may not pull over someone for that alone.
Seat belts save lives and minimize injuries.
And people who contend they should have the freedom to do what they want are wrong. Death and injury drive up automobile insurance rates for everyone. He should restore the tougher penalties this year. In the long run, Delaware has little choice about lowering its alcohol blood level. Effective in 2004, the federal government has mandated all states must have the .08 limit or loss transportation aid.