|
|
Article: Seat belt rule divides black lawmakers Some fear measure to let police stop motorists would increase harassment
- Article from:
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)
- Article date:
- April 19, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1998 The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
Black lawmakers are struggling with a painful dilemma.
Blacks suffer disproportionately from not wearing seat belts.
But blacks also are likely to suffer disproportionately from a
Clinton administration initiative to increase seat belt use through
state laws that permit police to stop motorists to check whether
they are wearing seat belts.
The split in the black community over the issue has stymied
efforts to pass tougher seat belt laws in states with large urban
and minority populations, where many complaints about police
harassment originate.
Yet some federal and state lawmakers contend that fears of police
harassment are overblown. Surveys show that blacks, especially black
men, drive ...