Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Natalie's Bill in Massachusetts

What Is Natalie's Bill?
Natalie’s Bill would permit police officers in Massachusetts to pull over drivers who aren’t wearing their seatbelt while behind the wheel. The bill would become a primary seatbelt law in the state, meaning that failure to wear a seatbelt would be sufficient grounds to be pulled over and fined $50 for the first offense.

Massachusetts currently has a secondary seatbelt law, which means that drivers can be cited for not wearing a seatbelt only when they are pulled over for another violation. Drivers who don’t buckle up cannot be pulled over solely because they don’t have their belt on under the present law. Natalie’s Bill would change all of that, if passed. Primary seatbelt laws are in effect in 31 states across the U.S.

There was a hearing on the bill last week in front of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security and the review of the proposed bill may now take several months for it be approved and enacted. Advocates are hopeful that the bill will pass and that it has the power to save lives.

Who Was Natalie?
The bill is named after Natalie Fuentes, 21, of Springfield, who was killed in July of 2006 in a rollover accident in Springfield. Her boyfriend was driving and Natalie was in the passenger seat when a car in front of them stopped suddenly. The boyfriend then attempted to avoid the car, which caused the vehicle to roll over several times. Natalie was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash and her mother, Beatriz, has been the leading advocate in pushing for the bill to pass.

Seatbelts Save Lives
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that primary seat belt laws truly do have the potential to save lives. If Natalie’s Bill were to pass in the legislature, nearly 20 lives would be saved in the Commonwealth each year and 650 severe injuries stemming from motor vehicle collisions around the state would be prevented.

If You Have Been Injured in a Massachusetts Auto Accident
If you have been seriously hurt in a car accident in Massachusetts due to a reckless driver, BEFORE you sign any forms, talk to the insurance company or hire a lawyer, contact a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer with Kiley Law Group to find out about your legal options.

Our car accident lawyers have 30 years of experience and a successful track record of obtaining seven figure wins for our clients in auto accident cases, medical malpractice, child birth injuries, brain injuries, and other personal injury cases.

Call 800-410-2769 to receive your free legal consultation today. And while the call is free, the information may be priceless.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

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