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State senator wants higher seatbelt fine

By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis – A bill in the Missouri Senate would raise the fine for driving without a seat belt from $10 to $50.

The bill is sponsored by Democratic Senator Joseph Keaveny of St. Louis. He said since Missouri does not have a primary enforcement law, raising the fine for not buckling up is the next best solution.

"At $10, it's not much of a deterrent not to use a seat belt," Keaveny said "If a person is charged $50 for failure to use a seat belt, it get a little more attention."

Missouri collected $204,000 in seat belt fines last year. Keaveny suggests the state could have collected more revenue if the fine for not buckling up had been higher.

The Senate Transportation Committee is expected to vote on the bill this week.

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