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Article: Enforcing Seat Belt Use Comes With a Few Kinks; Law Puts Limits on Stopping Drivers
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- May 29, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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It sounded simple enough.
Fairfax County and Fairfax City police were conducting what they
called a "seat belt crackdown" last week, taking part in a national
safety campaign to enforce laws requiring drivers to be strapped in.
"We hope this campaign will raise public awareness of the very
real dangers of driving unbelted," said Fairfax City Police Chief
Richard Rappoport.
But as the last session of the Virginia General Assembly showed,
seat belt enforcement in the commonwealth is fraught with practical
complications and political controversy.
For although Virginia law allows police to write tickets for