New North Dakota Seat Belt Law Fails - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

A majority of North Dakota Representatives say the state's seat belt law is just fine the way it is.

The House defeated a bill to make the seat belt law a primary offense, allowing law enforcement to pull over drivers those in the front aren't buckled up.

Supporters of the bill say it's a public safety issue, while opponents say it is just one more freedom government is infringing on.

Representative Curtiss Kreun shared a story of a vehicle rollover near Bismarck involving two Newtown teens.

<<(Rep. Curtiss Kreun / (R) Grand Forks) "Rolled the vehicle, one had a seat belt on the other didn't. One flew out, he graduated but has to learn to walk. And the other one, didn't have any injury. These are the people talking to us saying it's best to have a seatbelt on."

(Rep. Larry Klemin / (R) Bismarck) "Somebody who's not buckled in becomes a loose cannon in a vehicle involved in an accident can seriously injury other passengers who are buckled in."

(Rep. Jim Kasper / (R) Fargo) "That's what this bill is about. Government telling each one of us telling us how to run our lives and saying you no longer get to choose.">>

The bill failed by a vote of 40-52.

17 state's still have a secondary seatbelt law.