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“DORI SLOSBERG AND KATIE MARCHETTI SAFETY BELT LAW” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1028 on April 30, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DORI SLOSBERG AND KATIE MARCHETTI SAFETY BELT LAW
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HON. ROBERT WEXLER
of florida
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize the Florida Legislature for passing the Dori Slosberg and Katie Marchetti Safety Belt Law yesterday, a law giving police the power to stop motorists for not wearing seat belts. I believe this law is a great step forward in the effort to reduce the numbers of tragic deaths and injuries throughout Florida and should serve as an example for other state governments to follow in ensuring all Americans are safer on our roads.
This measure was long championed by Irv Slosberg, a former state representative from Boca Raton whose 14-year-old daughter, Dori, was killed in a 1996 car crash on Palmetto Park Road. This accident claimed the lives of five teens and left four others, including Dori's twin sister, with serious injuries. It is unfortunate that such a tragedy needed to occur for people in our community to take notice of the need to amend the law to ensure people are wearing their seat belts, but Irv Slosberg deserves a tremendous amount of praise for his dedication to ensuring other families do not suffer from such a tragedy.
Along with his efforts in the Florida State House to introduce this bill, Irv Slosberg also introduced the Dori Slosberg Driver Education Safety Act, which became law in Florida in 2002 and allows Florida counties to fund driver education programs by adding a surcharge to traffic tickets. In addition, recognizing that teen traffic crashes are the number one cause of death in Florida, Irv Slosberg also founded the Dori Slosberg Foundation, with a mission statement to educate the public about the importance of traffic safety; promote the usage of safe driving habits, especially seat belt compliance and proper child restraint devices; support and advance driver's education programs nationwide; assist the Florida Department of Transportation to ensure a safe driving environment on our roadways; and distribute tools to both teens and seniors to help them drive safely. These initiatives, along with his personal dedication to the issue of road safety, have no doubt saved and will continue to save countless lives in our community.
As a co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety, I understand the impact road crashes have on the global community, and while we must continue to work to establish protocols with nations around the world to reduce the number of road deaths and injuries globally, we must also set an example here in the United States by passing laws to ensure safety belts, which have been credited with saving countless lives since they were made standard in U.S. automobiles in 1968, are being used by all who get behind the wheel, especially our children.
I want to once again congratulate the Florida Legislature for passing this bill, and I look forward to Governor Charlie Crist's signing this into law in the near future. I also want to once again extend my appreciation for Irv Slosberg's efforts, both while he served in the Florida Legislature and as a member of the South Florida community, to ensure our loved ones remain safe on the roads.
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