Virginia scores low on highway safety because law enforcement officers can’t pull drivers over for not wearing seatbelts, among other failings, according to a new set of rankings from Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
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The group rated Virginia “red,” saying the state fell “dangerously behind in adoption of key laws.” Though drivers in Virginia are required to wear seatbelts, police officers must pull drivers over for other infractions before they can ticket a driver for skimping on seat belts.
Virginia had 740 traffic accident deaths in 2010, costing the state’s economy $5.31 billion, according to the report.
The District of Columbia and Maryland both ranked “green,” meaning they are “significantly advanced” in highway safety laws.
