Primary seat belt bill defeated in North Dakota House

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR/KCND) – The North Dakota House has defeated a measure that would have made North Dakota’s buckle-up law primary, meaning drivers could be pulled over for not wearing a belt.

The law is currently a secondary offense, which means drivers would have to be stopped for another reason.

Republican Rep. Jared Hagert of Emerado was among those who urged that the measure be passed. “It makes a lot of sense to have everyone buckled up in that vehicle” Hagert said.

The bill failed on a vote of 49-45.