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ondary offense, meaning police must first stop the vehicle for another reason. SB 1325 would have made failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense.
Three Republican delegates who supported the bill Thursday switched their votes Friday. They were Jeannemarie Devolites of Fairfax, Robert F. McDonnell of Virginia Beach and Charles W. Carrico Sr. of Grayson County.
Carrico, a former state trooper, had been a vocal supporter of SB 1325 and a co-sponsor of HB 2711. But in a speech in the House floor on Friday, he said he received calls from constituents who were against the legislation.
Carrico told his colleagues that he made a promise to his constituents and will stand by it. “I promised that I would respect and would do the things that my constituents wanted me to do; not you, not you, not you or the governor asked me to do,” he said.
Friday’s vote against SB 1325 would have been 47-50 except for a mistake: Delegate John S. Reid, R-Henrico, who passionately spoke against the bill, accidentally voted for it.
Del. Richard H. Black (RLoudoun) had supported a stronger seatbelt law in his first year of office but voted against the bill this year.
Black voted against HB 2711 in the House Transportation Committee.
“I began to notice that we were imposing layer upon layer of restrictions on people,” Black said. “And I began to realize philosophically that if we don’t stop telling people what to do, there would be no freedom at all.”
Black favors people buckling up but would not make them do it.
“There is a balance of personal freedom,” he said.
Del. Terry G. Kilgore (RScott), a strong opponent of the bill, was satisfied by the rejection of the bill. “Tbday was the last day to reconsider the bill according to rules, and the opponents of the bill had to make the motion today,” he said.
Failure to wear a seatbelt is a primary offense in 18 states and Washington, D.C.
Warner said Friday’s vote was a disappointment for those who care about traffic safety in Virginia.
“[It’s] a common sense reform that will save lives,” Warner
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