Capitol Beat

Congress is considering legislation that would require all states to pass primary seat belt enforcement laws or to increase their seat belt use rates to at least 90 percent within three years. Under the terms of the National Highway Safety Act, S. 1993, a small percentage of highway trust fund money would be withheld if a state failed to achieve that goal. If every motorist and auto passenger buckled up, an additional 9,200 fatalities and 143,000 serious injuries could be prevented every year, according to the American Insurance Association.